Nigeria

Nigeria is a West African country that has a reputation for dictatorships and violence. Much of this reputation is formed by the city of Lagos, which is a city of staggering proportions. A teeming mass of humanity with unofficial population estimates at nearly 20 million, it is an energetic city that makes for an exhausting, but often rewarding experience. In Lagos, the National Museum contains an excellent array of Nigerian and African treasures. For a more relaxing experience, take a walk through the thousand-year-old city of Kano, which is the oldest in West Africa with several compelling museums. Yorubaland is located in the southwest of Nigeria and was once the centre of a powerful empire. You can find out more about this and other empires by visiting the National Museum in Ife, or the Alaafin’s Palace in Oyo. Similarly, you can visit the Oba’s Palace for the headquarters of a different empire in Benin City. To experience a different type of majesty, one can go to the Cross River National Park and see elephants, gorillas, and chimpanzees. Back to history, one can visit the old town quarters of Zaria and Kano.