Cocoa House is one of the defining landmarks of Ibadan and a symbol of the ambitions of post-independence Nigeria. When it was completed in 1965 — commissioned by the Western Region government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and paid for with the proceeds of cocoa exports — it was the tallest building in tropical Africa, a distinction that mattered enormously to those who built it.
The 25-storey tower still dominates the Ibadan skyline and houses government offices, restaurants, and the museum on its upper floors. The Cocoa Dome restaurant and bar on the upper levels offers reasonable food and one of the best views in the city. Even if you don't go inside, the building is worth seeing for what it represents: a moment when Nigeria believed it was building something permanent and great.