Origin Garden and Zoo in Ikorodu, Lagos State – Nigeria's First Privately Run Zoo

Origin Garden and Zoo in Ikorodu, Lagos State – Nigeria First’s Privately Run Zoo

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Origin Garden and Zoo in Ikorodu, Lagos State – Nigeria's First Privately Run Zoo

Do you know that there is a zoo in the environs of Ikorodu, Lagos state? This is a mini standard zoo that is along Ibese road, just before the Origin Jetta station, and it houses wild animals. The zoo is named Origin Gardens and Zoo. It also has a museum with artefacts from all over Nigeria. The zoo is the first privately run zoo in Lagos and Nigeria.

About 4 weeks ago, one beautiful morning, a close friend of mine sent me a chat message on BlackBerry messenger that I should dress up, and that we are heading to the zoo in Ikorodu. I was shocked and initially thought he wanted to play pranks on me. When I acted as if it was all a joke, he coaxed me to do a Google Search about the zoo in Ikorodu.

Lo and behold, immediately I typed in my queries on Google search engine, I saw organic search results, a map and opening/closing hours of the zoo. I thought to myself aloud, “this can’t be real”. I have lived the most part of my life in Ikorodu and I have never heard of this place. What have I been doing? Where have I been?

I viewed the map and saw that it was pointing to an area in Ibese, Ebute Ikorodu. The address from Google: beside Origin Jetty off Ibese, TOS Benson Road, Ikorodu. The opening/closing hours for each day were also stated (mostly 8 AM – 6 PM). Then, I proceeded to check the links that mentioned the origin zoo in Ikorodu. I discovered that there were posts from many years ago about the opening which had in attendance the former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN who is now the Federal Minister of Works, Power, and Housing for Nigeria. And there were the shocking headlines about the zoo, a lion escaped the zoo and it was spotted on the fence of a factory close to the zoo. Damn, who does that?

Primary school students having an excursion in the zoo

Anyways, I got dressed, hopped into my friend’s car and we were off to Origin zoo. It wasn’t that hard to locate; that is if you drive moderately and check out sign posts on the road. The street junction to the zoo is close to the Oando Petrol Station on Ibese road.

We got to the gardens and met the officials and a couple of primary school students and their instructors who must have come there for a school excursion. To enter the zoo and see the animals, we had to pay 500 naira. To enter the museum, you pay another 500 naira. The building that houses the zoo also included a bar and mini hall with a stage for a musical live performance. It wasn’t hard to recognise that this place must be a buzzing one during the weekends and festive periods when people can bring their families, friends and spouses to come have a lot of fun.

My friend and I went inside the zoo and we were treated to live scenes of wild animals. This was my first time in a zoo and I was openly shaky. “This is a huge lion. This crocodile is old and must be very dangerous. These hyenas were full of energy gritting their tooth at us. Will this ostrich not chase us?” The zoo houses:

A lion,

Hyenas,

Wolves,

Crocodiles,

Ostrich,

Baboons and other wild monkeys,

Python,

Tortoises,

Eagle,

Peacocks,

Parrots and other birds,

And many more animals

It was a lovely scene. Did I tell you that the zoo is just beside the river? So, there is a beautiful water view and a boisterous breeze blowing everywhere. The zoo attendant took us around, telling us basic facts about each animal, how they get treatment what they feed on.

Are you looking to have fun in Ikorodu, Lagos state anytime soon? Then visit the Origin Gardens and Zoo for a nice time. Have I mentioned that they sell shawarma, cold soft drinks and other assorted alcoholic drinks with pepper soup and other edibles?

Below are more pictures of the zoo and animals present: