Abeokuta Adventures: Visiting the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) and Olumo Rock
Everything you need to know (Activities, cost breakdown, etc)
Hello dearest reader,
As the title rightly suggests, I will be sharing details about my Abeokuta trip which took place in December, 2024. I spent two days there, traveling from Lagos and back. Let’s get right to it!
Transportation
Abeokuta is easily accessible from Lagos by train. You can book a ticket using the NRCLITS ticket booking app. The train has three ticket options which are ₦3,000, ₦4,500 and ₦6,000 for economy, business and first class respectively. Unfortunately, I missed out on the free train service offered by the government in December. All tickets for my desired travel date (26th December) were already booked. Standing on the train was the only option, which didn’t seem comfortable, so I opted for a ride service instead. Prices ranged from ₦35,000–₦50,000, and I paid ₦45,000 for mine.
Accommodation and Feeding
Accommodation was a bit of a hassle because I didn’t book on time. I initially wanted to go with the Green Legacy Resorts—they had a Christmas package and they house the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL)—but they were fully booked on the date I wanted (26th-28th). After a quick Google search, I came across the Conference Hotel, Abeokuta. It is close to the OOPL and Olumo rock, and their rates were fair. I chose the Deluxe room which cost ₦160,000 for two nights.
The food here was exceptional! I arrived in the evening of the 26th and had coconut rice, plantain and chicken which cost about 10k. It was the best coconut rice I have had. Does it count that I’ve had coconut rice only twice in my entire life? I don’t think so.
The hotel offered free Wi-Fi which had good internet connectivity and complimentary breakfast. I had a variety of breakfast options but I had bread, egg and juice on both mornings. On the evening of the 27th, I ordered the same coconut rice and plantain again but this time, with Chicken wings. The taste was heavenly and the portions were good too. It cost about the same amount as the day before. The only downside with the food was the wait time—it took about 30 minutes.
OOPL
Getting to OOPL from the hotel cost ₦3,000. Something interesting was that the riders seemed to have a flat rate. Even though the ride service app gave a fee of ₦1,800-₦2,000, they insisted on ₦3,000. Anyway, I arrived at the premises by a few minutes past 10am, went to the ticket office and got the ticket to visit the museum and library for ₦5,000. At about 11am, the tour guide was ready and we set out.
Our first stop was the museum which showcased a lot of machinery and vehicles used by the Former President Olusegun Obasanjo. They mostly represented different times in Nigerian history, specifically during his tenure. I didn’t get to take a lot of pictures from this place. Worthy of mention is that you are not allowed to take pictures in the museum or the library. They assign a photographer to your tour group, and pictures cost ₦250 each (or ₦500 for the pictures taken at the presidential table). As someone who loves to take pictures and have easy access to them, I wasn’t quite happy with this policy.
Next was the library. I thought I’d be seeing a collection of books. But alas! It felt like a documentation of the former President’s life which was quite intriguing. It was an experience learning about his life from when he was a young boy to when he became president and even after. Also, did you know that the OOPL is the 14th presidential library in the world and the first in Africa?
The tour guide was lovely and my tour group was amazing also. After walking through the library, I went to the Gifts and Souvenir Shop and got two books; There is Always Room by Olusegun Obasanjo and A handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood which were ₦1,500 and ₦7,000 respectively. I also paid for my pictures here and got the softcopy pictures after about 4 hours via WhatsApp.
Wildlife Park
The park was better than I expected. Tickets cost ₦3,000 and a tour guide cost ₦2,000 (optional but worth it). They had a variety of animals including a lioness, hyenas, horses, tortoise, ostriches and peacocks.
There was a body of water for boat rides in the OOPL premises, but I didn’t try it.
After the park/zoo activity, I went back to the hotel for ₦3,000 (same issue mentioned earlier) and had dinner.
Olumo Rock
This was my second time visiting Olumo rock and I enjoyed it as much on both occasions. If I were to choose, however, I’d prefer the second time since I had a tour guide. On the way to the rock, my vehicle passed by the textile market, but I didn’t stop to explore. Transportation to the rock cost ₦6,000 and entry tickets cost ₦1,500. There’s a signboard that says you’re not obligated to pay the tour guides but tips are appreciated.
We went up the 5 tiers of the rock using the hard route, not the stairs (you’ll see it when you get there). Climbing the rock is not easy lol. My heart was in my mouth at various points, but I survived. At the top, my guide sang me a Yoruba song (Mayo, Mayo, which means joy or happiness), and we learned about the rich history of Abeokuta (which means “under the rock”) and the Egba people. Interesting fact: Sacrifices are made at the shrine to prevent accidents, which is why, according to my guide, no one has fallen from the rock in years (he mentioned the specific number of years but I have forgotten as I wasn’t taking notes).
Coming down the rock, we used the stairs because I’m a “baby girl”.
After this, we went to the museum and saw a couple of art pieces. They also sell clothes here.
Going Home
After the exploration at the rock, I took a ride back to the hotel for 6k also, packed my bags and headed for the Professor Wole Soyinka train station (I booked on time and was able to get a free ticket back to Lagos). The road to the station was terrible, and it cost about ₦7,000 to get there. The train was on schedule. It was quite slow—maybe because I was expecting a bullet train (wishful thinking). We left at about 5:30pm and arrived Lagos by 7:00pm.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I had a sweet experience at Abeokuta and I won’t mind visiting for a third time. As for cost, bulk of the total cost was spent on accommodation. I believe there are other budget-friendly options to explore, depending on your taste.
I hope this semi-long article helps you plan your trip to OOPL and Olumo, Abeokuta. Kindly share your questions or other comments in the chat box. Have you been there before? What was your experience like?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you for telling your story, I enjoyed reading it