Cocoa House Ibadan

– Completed five years after Independence in 1960 at a height of 105 metres.

– Doubles as the first sky scraper in West Africa and one time the tallest building in Nigeria.

– It is located in Dugbe, a major commercial area in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

– Was built from proceeds of Agricultural commodities (e.g., Cocoa, Rubber, Timber) and still stands till today after suffering a major fire incident 20years after it was built.

– January 1985, the entire building was gutted by fire. Cocoa House lost its beauty, glory and elegance to the holocaust.

The fire was said to have consumed everything in the building, because at the time, the firefighters in Ibadan did not have the equipment or the skill to put out a raging inferno in a skyscraper.

– Reopened after seven years of renovation from a major holocaust(fire incident).

– Regained its lost beauty, and also became a tourist centre of sorts.

– The initial name given to the building was ‘Ile Awon Agbe’, translating from Yoruba to ‘the house of farmers’ in English. The name was later changed to Cocoa House because it was built with proceeds from cocoa exportation and also because there was a cocoa tree planted in front of the building just beside a water fountain.

– Has an underground compartment and shares same compound with Shoprite in Ibadan.

This building is a Heritage.

Written by: Officialtourbuddy

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