Heritage Mall, Ibadan.

Dugbe is easily the heartbeat of Ibadan. It houses what used to be the tallest building in Nigeria, and a host of Federal Government parastatals. When a mall opened in Ibadan early this year bringing with it famous retail stores, it had to be sited in Dugbe. Heritage
Mall has become one of the most visited spots in Ibadan almost overnight, no mean feat for a city where people love the comfort of their houses.

Malls are typically the go-to places anywhere you go, and Heritage literally bids you come. The huge edifice is well-known for it’s cinema, FilmHouse, and sometimes you could go one hour early for a movie and end up seeing another one because the one you
wanted to see is overbooked. It’s that crazy. However, the retail store Mr Price opened first in the building (up till now, some taxi drivers think that is the name of the mall) and enjoys a good amount of the traffic in the mall.

There is a food court, which has three outlets of eateries (at last count), so feel free to come here hungry. You know how they say in a mall you should get everything you’re looking for? Yes? Well, Heritage has everything. The mall is a three-storey building with an escalator and boasts shops that hold almost anything, from clothing to mobile accessories to books.

If you hate a lot of company, don’t visit the mall in the evening. In fact, stay away from 4pm. If you love people, that’s when you leave your place of stay. The cinema offers movies at 500 naira until 6pm on weekdays, so you could make use of that too. While you wait for your movie(s), there is a lounge where you can have a drink. Finding a place to wait (sit) can be problematic, but if you’re up for it, there is a furniture shop on the ground floor with a lot of comfy sofas (Reader discretion is advised, of course). Particularly entertaining are the Nollywood movie premieres that happen in the mall from time to time, you might just see that favourite actor/actress of yours and be free to totally act a groupie.

If you are in Ibadan, and want to get to the mall, your best bet is by Okada. However, do not say you are going to the Cinema or Heritage Mall, most Okada riders might take you to a place called Queen’s Cinema, also in Dugbe, where a cinema used to be back in the day. Many also do not know the mall’s actual name. Say you are going to Mr Price; same with taxis. Aside the good hotels in Ibadan and numerous tourist spots, one of the best things about this ancient town is that transport is cheap, isn’t that every visitor’s dream? If you’re driving, there’s a parking space underground for a token fee. When are you visiting this city?

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