11

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE IN IBADAN, NIGERIA: THE

HOUSE OF ADEBISI GIWA OF IDIKAN

Adeoye Dorcas Oluwaseyi^, Akande Adeyemi and Oladiti Abiodun Akeem

¹Department of Architecture, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria

²Department of Architecture, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria

³Department of General Studies, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Original Article

This paper examines the architectural design and planning of the residential

apartment of the great Ibadan icon, businessman and philanthropist. The

architecture is neo-classical and the building boasts of at least eighty five living

spaces (parlour and rooms). The Adebisi mansion is a symbol of Ibadan-Yoruba

PII: S238315531800002-7

material heritage. The people of Ibadan had great respect for the patron of the

house - Giwa Adebisi and this is confirmed in the fact that his memories are

preserved in legend, songs and poems that enunciate the man’s wealth and

Received: 30 Apr. 2018

Accepted: 15 Jun. 2018

influence. These legends and songs that accompany his home in Ibadan is rarely

found elsewhere in Yoruba society. The paper discusses the grandeur of the

Adebisi mansion and concludes that the building is of significant historic and

architectural heritage value and thus makes a worthy material for preservation.

Published: 30 Jun. 2018

^Corresponding author’s e-mail:

aaoladiti@lautech.edu.ng

KEYWORDS

Heritage, Architecture, Colonial, Patronage, Ibadan.

INTRODUCTION

heritage embodies the outstanding artistic and

historic value of a monument while manifesting

“Eni ti o ba fe ko iru ile Adebisi, ko ni ile ko”

human ingenuity [2]. This paper advances the

“One who seeks to build a house like Adebisi, is not functional use of space as a creative material culture

ready to build a house”.

independent from colonial finance, maintenance or

repairs. The building symbolizes the wealth of

Adebisi as cultural metaphor and a significant

historical connotation for the Oyo Yoruba groups in

Southwest Nigeria. It emphasizes the phenomenal

position of the built environment in the architectural

development of Ibadan society.

The aforementioned maxim in the Yoruba

repertoire is a popular saying in Ibadan in the 20^th

century. It was used to advise young people not to

nurture the desire to build a house like Adebisi’s

mansion as it will be futile. The mansion of Adebisi

has been portrayed in the Ibadan worldview as a

structure like the Mapo hall in grandeur, elegance

and splendor. The prevalent belief at the time the

structure was built was that materials for the

construction of the building could only have come

from Europe. The construction of the building

started in 1927 and was completed before the

commissioning of Mapo Hall in October 5, 1929 [1].

The idea behind heritage Architecture which is

primarily concerned with structures or parts of

structure which carry a historical value often in the

context of its host culture or society helps us put this

study of the Adebisi mansion in perspective. The

study helps us demonstrate and appreciate the

importance attached to the brilliance of human

creativity as expressed in built form. Architectural

Sanusi Adebisi Giwa of Idikan

An Ibadan native, Sanusi Adebisi Giwawas a

prominent businessman in Ibadan in the first half of

the twentieth century. Owing to the sketchy and

uncoordinated process of formal registration of birth

in the late nineteenth century in western Nigeria,

Sanuni’s exact date of birth is unknown but he is

believed to have been born around early-1890s.

Historian professor Adesina describe him as a hard

driven entrepreneur in the Ibadan cocoa business

scene. The story of his childhood is scanty but

research shows that as a youth, he was involved in

his father’s business enterprise which was basically

the marketing of traditional textiles -Adire and Aso-

Oke. He hawked from one Yoruba town to another

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

12

and this provided an outlet of his spirit of enterprise Taffy Jones was the first Ibadan colonial engineer,

and ingenuity in the field of business [3].

who worked in Southern Nigeria between 1910-1944

Adebisi rose to a position of respect and honor [6]. He started work as a road foreman and was later

among his peers due to his success and appointed Engineer to the Ibadan native authority in

achievements. On account of this achievements, 1923 [7]. He remained in the ancient city of Ibadan

legends, songs, and poems that celebrated his until his retirement and return to Wales in Scotland.

popularity, wealth and influence played a significant He is reputed to be among the leading engineers in

role in immortalizing him as a great Ibadan the colonial service of the mid twentieth century. His

entrepreneur. Further to this, and possibly more architectural works presented mostly in neo-classical

significantly, his famous residential building known style were pronounced, brutish but often off tangent

as “Ile Adebisi Giwa of Idikan” made him a with the local urban character and usual Yoruba

household name all through Ibadan city. The cluster of twentieth century Ibadan. On the road

structure is indeed a worthy architecture icon and infrastructural end, Taffy’s construction were often

material heritage for coming generations.

commissioned and financed by colonial government

A vivid illustration of the eminence the building in Ibadan [8]. He obtains the agreement of the local

carries among the Ibadan people is captured in the community for the necessary demolition of

Yoruba poem documented by Odunjo and used in obstruction that affected road construction in the

the teaching of Yoruba literature among the primary city. His legacy in Ibadan is not easy to occlude.

school students in western Nigeria. The poem titled Taffy is responsible for the wide main artery road

“owo Apekanuko” celebrated Adebisi thus:

“osi nii je ta ni-mo-o ri

Se owo lo nje mo-ba-o-tan

Buroda idi-kan

through the heart of Ibadan (known as Taffy

highway). He also designed and constructed the

Ibadan town hall at Mapo and the Bower’s Tower at

Oke Are Hill near Sapati area of Ibadan. This tower

is also known as Layipo among the local people. The

monument was erected to immortalize the first

Resident and Travelling commissioner for the

interior of Yoruba land, Captain Robert Lister

Bower, who served 1893-1897 [6].

The tower is 60 ft. high with an 11ft. square base

and two entrances. It also has a 45 double spiral stair

case which gave it the name Layipo -- which means

meaning spinning around -- amongst the natives.

This monumental project was financed by the

Ibadan native authority in memory of Sir Robert

Lister Bower, K.B.E., C.M.E, and first Colonial

Resident of Ibadan 1893-1897 whose character,

courage and administrative ability won the universal

and lasting esteem of the Yoruba. During his time,

he firmly established the loyalty of the people to the

imperial crown [6].

At the time Robert Taffy Jones was supervising

and constructing the Mapo hall, he was

commissioned by Sanusi Adebisi Giwa to design an

architectural masterpiece closely related but not

necessarily similar to the Mapo Hall that he, at that

time was working as site engineer [1].

The building of Sanusi Adebisi Giwa was rated as

one of the prominent structures that prides the

development of the city of Ibadan and the place

called Idi-Kan in particular. The grandeur of the

structure was one of its kind and such that was not

to be seen in Ibadan or elsewhere in Yoruba society

L’owo so Adebisi

Gbogbo aye nii d’ebi

Eni owo ba n ba je.”

“Poverty brings about who are who?

Money (wealth) brings about I’m your kindred

Brother at Idi-kan

Is what money made Adebisi

Everyone becomes a relation

Of whosoever swims in prosperity (Odunjo,

2010)” [4].

This poem has become legendary as it

accompanies Adebisi’s name and is rarely found

elsewhere in Yoruba land. The wealth, fame and

prestige acquired by Adebisi made him a respected

individual that everyone wishes to identify with and

refer to as “my brother” who reside at Idi-Kan - the

place in Ibadan where the mansion built. The design

plan of Adebisi’s mansion is quintessential and

representative of the emergence of modernist

Architecture in colonial Ibadan city.

The architects/ builders of the building

The Adebisi building was designed and

constructed by a Scottish Engineer Robert Taffy

Jones, (1882-1949). Taffy Jones supervised the

construction of the structure in conjunction with

other local professional builders like Engineer

Carew, all working as a consortium [5]. Mr Robert

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

13

during colonial times. The building takes on a dual

role of residence and court in the manner that

contest with the loftiest abodes of Ibadan royals.

Many Ibadan indigenes derived pleasure in the use

of the building for social, political and economic

interactions within the city. The building has an

inspiring influence towards higher ideals in the city’s

development and broadened their outlook by given

them a taste for finer things (Figures 1, 2 and 3).

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted

a

historical approach by

examining the monumental and popular historic

buildings designed by a British engineer in colonial

Ibadan city in the first half of the 20^thcentury.

The data for the study were obtained through

direct observation, oral interviews with families and

relatives to the owner of the building as well as

information from books and journal articles related

to the study. Photographs of the building were taken

by the authors after obtaining permission and

acceptance of the occupants living in the residential

apartment. The sketch plan of the building provides

the background plan of the building.

Figure 1: Site Layout.

a. Entrance façade; b. Living area 1; c. Living area 2; d.

Main Building; e. Living area 3 (children and wives); f.

Kitchen; g. Store; h. Burial area (Cemetery/mausoleum); i.

Extended family living area (Source: Authors’ Survey,

2017).

Description of the Building: Building

materials, techniques and construction of

Ile–Adebisi Giwa of Idikan walls.

The sandcrete wall of the building was finish with

cement mortar and concrete blocks (Figure 4). With

this technique and materials, the Adebisi house

accommodated vernacular building practice. What is

more concerting is in spite of the unapologetic neo-

classical exuberance, the structure remains faithful

in philosophy to the use of materials that are in

synchrony with traditional Yoruba building ideology.

1) Doors and windows: Doors were made

from timber typical of Yoruba traditional houses and

windows are made up of glass materials with timber

frames in order to admit light into the inside of the

building from the outer surroundings or from the

courtyard. The main buildings have large glass

windows while the bungalows have wooden boards

as windows. In fact, in some living and sleeping

areas, the windows were so small admitting little

light through the outside rather reminiscent of early

traditional Yoruba building conceptions.

Figure 2: Ground Floor Plans.

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

14

Figure 4: Side view of the building

Figure 3: Upper Floor, and roof Plans.

Figure 5: Extended Family house

2) Roofs: The main building and the adjoining

living areas were roofed with corrugated iron sheets

draining into a roof gutter and connected with pipes

to drain of the run-off from the hipped end roof. The

roof of the main building and the adjoining living

areas to the main entrance of the compound were

also finished with concrete facial round the total

perimeter of the building (Figures 3 and 5).

3) Fencing: The fencing of Adebisi house was

well articulated to delimit the property from other

structures. The fencing was done in such a way that

different flanges between wings of the property were

well differentiated from the main building. For

instance, the wing housing the parents and other

extended family were fenced off from the main

building premises but was connected with a gate

entrance to accommodate them too (Figure 6). The

space left out (at the rear end of the compound) for

burial of the dead was also fenced off from the main

compound.

Figure 6: Entrance gate to the extended family area

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Adebisi Sanusi mansion in Idikan has been

described by Ibadan locals as parallel to no other

building owned by an individual under colonial rule

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

15

in Western Nigeria. The house was indeed a timber/wood and glass. Reputed to be about ninety

symbolic creative form of art and architectural years old, it is now mostly in a state of disrepair.

master piece of its time. The planning and That notwithstanding, the building still carries an

architectural design of the building was a product of aura of brilliance and it is still occupied by the

colonialist ideology distilled in modernity. The members of the Adebisi’s family.

architecture of the building was articulated in a

Symmetry was

a

design ideology in the

careful mix of neo-classical and Afro- Brazilian style. conceptualization of this structure. This is evident in

Both the western and eastern entrance of the the careful arrangement of the Doric style columns

building features a 19^thcentury Portuguese style on the approach elevation. Each arch lands on Doric

curved pediment. The eastern end features a columns and are distributed at equal distance from

remarkably simple low bas relief rendition of a each other. The central arch which hosts the

flower on the frontal end. The main approach view of pediment is flanked by three columns each to both

the building is symmetrical and formal in sides (Figure 9) emphasizing balance in the

appearance.

arrangements and forms, a key aesthetic character of

The arch curvature at the entrance is supported the building. The deliberate use of sturdy Doric

by two square base columns to each side of the columns further enunciates rigidity, power and

entrance gate. The curved pediment on top of the influence; all hallmarks of the patron Adebisi.

western entrance is also engraved but this side Though on a minuscule scale, the balustrade on the

features an elephant motif with a squirrels placed on first floor of the building gives balance and

either side in an arrangement style that mimics the verticality to the otherwise sturdy character of the

medieval western European crests. The pediment is ground floor.

further decorated with a flower verse and the

The central arch which doubles as the entrance

inscription “SAG” which stands for Sanusi Adebisi porch leads to a big hall (Igbejo) (Figure 10) which is

Giwa, the patron of the building (Figure 7).

about 86.4m²in size and serves as visitor’s waiting

area and the patron’s court used for general family

meetings and disputes resolution for neighbours and

family members alike. In addition to the court, the

ground floor of the main building also consists of a

large living room and five adjourning bedrooms. The

ceiling of the hall was made of a wooden slab

supported by arch curvatures of 10 columns

doubling as support for the upper floor slab. The

columns serve as the main structural support to the

upper floor slab (Figures 8, 9 and 10).

The ground floor of the hall was finished with

PVC tiles with wooden skirting round the wall edges

to make a neat and well-finished edge. The enclosed

walls were finished with glossy paint while the

windows are of well-designed wooden net/blind and

glass windows (Figures 11 and 13).

Figure 7: Entrance gate to the building (the

elevation rests on an imposing column signifying the

strength, power and quality of the building).

It is however clear that the oil paint on the wall

now is not the same that was used at inception. It is

not uncommon in the western part of current

Nigeria for wealthy patrons to repaint their houses

yearly in some type of renewal ritual and also as a

show of continued affluence and relevance. The

ceiling was finished with well-seasoned timber laid

in layers and painted in white colour though in

dilapidating state now (Figure 12).

Architectural design and planning of the

building

The built area of the Idi-Kan house of Adebisi

seats on about a half-acre (3 and ½ plots) parcel of

land. The house comprises of about 85 rooms on two

floors of four separate structures with adjourning

bungalows providing shelter for other members of

the family (Figures 1, 2 and 3). Made entirely of

sandcrete walls and floors, the structure features

typical modern fitted doors and windows made from

The Igbejo hall (Figure 10) on the ground floor

also leads to a central lobby which in turn continues

to other four adjoining bedrooms and a private

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

16

apartment with a living room and two bedrooms.

The private apartment can be accessed via a separate

lobby which also provides access to a stair well. The

left wing of the hall leads to a stair hall doubling as

corridor leading to other parts of the compound. The

stair is made of concrete at the lower part (about 10

risers and 9 goings) while the rest (upper) part was

made up of timber with wooding balustrades

(Figures 14 and 15).

The upper part of the staircase is protected with a

wooden door providing security to upper parts of the

main building (Figures 15 and 16). The rear part of

the building features another stair hall leading to the

upper part of the building from the rear which

houses the Chief’s big private sitting room and his

personal bedroom with other bedrooms (about five)

used for special guests as the need arose.

Figure 8: Approach view of the main building

The upper floor consists of a long (wide) terrace

(Figure 17) in the exterior with wooden balusters/

handrails round the terrace with a pronounced

centrally positioned pediment at the top of the main

facade finished with the earlier described elephant

motif flanked two squirrels showing purposeful

ornamentation, a composite order of classical

architecture (Figure 17). The pronounced enclosure

serves as bedroom for one of Chief Adebisi’s sons.

The adjoining two other structures at the back of

the main building is famed to house the 36 wives of

Chief Sanusi Adebisi Giwa and his children. The

other structure adjacent to the main building is built

in form of a boy’s quarters with sitting rooms and

adjoining bedrooms while the last structure at the

rear was arranged in a row round a central courtyard

and also serves as living apartment for the wives of

the Chief and other members of the extended family.

The rectangular arrangement in courtyard style aids

circulation, lighting and ventilations. Towards the

rear of the compound is located the central kitchen

which is now out of commission. In the early days, it

served as the central cook-house were all the main

meal of the compound was prepared. Toward the left

was an open bathroom located at the very end of the

compound.

Figure 9: Doric style columns holding the main

entrance arches/porch to the building

In the rear portion of the entire structure

and compound houses the mausoleum and the

cemetery for the dead members of the family. The

main mausoleum houses the remains of Chief

Adebisi while the rest of the surrounding land is

where his late parents, brothers and some wives

were interred. This portion of the compound was

fenced off from the main compound to give privacy

and respect for the dead.

Figure 10: Igbejo Hall

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

17

Figure 11: Glass windows with wooden finished

blind

Figure14: Concrete staircase

Figure15: Wooden part of the staircase

Figure 12: Wooden ceiling in the Igbejo Hall.

Figure 16: Wooden door used as security to upper

start of the staircase

Figure 17: Upper terrace and the elephant motif

grounded with squirrels in both sides

Figure 13: Broken glass window with wooden frames

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

18

Design patterns, layout and function of the cooking area-kitchen (f) and the store (g) while the

building

last portion (h) was used as cemetery. The separated

The primary purpose and typology of the building living area to the right wing of the compound at the

is residential for the Adebisi family at Idikan, entrance of the compound accommodates the

Ibadan. The plans of Adebisi Idikan house as extended family members and Adebisi’s parents

depicted by Figures 1, 2 and 3 showed the compound (Figure 6).

layout. In figure 1, the site layout is seen showing the

Table 1 below revealed that the building form is

Gate house(a) and the adjoining living areas (b & c), rectangular in shape with courtyards showing the

next to it is the main residential building (d) characteristics of new-classical and Afro-Brazilians

accommodating the chief and some of his guests and style. The floor finish comprises

– polyvinyl

grown-up sons. The boys’ quarters and the rest living chloridetiles while the upper floor (stab) was

areas (e) house the children and the other wives of finished with timber finished. The major function of

the Chief Adebisi. The main significant proportion of the floor is to enhance smooth movement of

the living area in this wing combined the traditional occupants and to prevent moisture and (damp

impulvium - courtyard which shows that not only penetration) vegetation growth with the building.

does the design rests on two major neo-classical Other functions of the floors are to support the

styles already mentioned, but it also borrows from occupants to rest their feet and withstand the loads

traditional expressions making it a significant that will be imposed upon it. These loads could be

example of hybrid experimentation in colonial persons, furniture, machines, equipments and book

western Nigeria. The back of the building contains among other.

Table 1. Analysis of the Design Form and Building components of Ile-Adebisi.

Generic

structure

Type

Material

Functions usage

Rectangular with traditional

courtyard system. Neo-

classical and Afro-Brazillian

style

Purely sancrete and

concrete

Building form

Residential Building.

Sandcrete, PVC tiles and

timber.

Sandcrete block, concrete

block wall and paint.

PVC floor tiles, concrete

slab and timber

Floor

For resting and smooth movement of occupants.

Privacy and protection.

Walls and

Cement and sand

Timber and glass

Steel

materials uses

Door type and

their sizes

Window type and

floor sizes

Wood/ timber

Accessibility and circulation movement

Lighting and ventilation.

Wood/ timber and glass

Steel grills

Gates types and

materials

Security.

Concrete crete and timber

finish

Water System and pit

latrine

PVC floor tiles, concrete

slab and timber and paint

Ceramic and Sandcrete/

concrete

Sandcrete block wall and

cement mortar plaster

Ceilings finishes

Conveniences

Rooms

Security.

To easy and making good of the body.

About 85 rooms

Sleeping and relaxation.

For receiving large

visitors, holding of family

Hall type and

functions

Sandcrete walls,

Igbejo

meeting and mini-court to

timber ceiling

settle disputes among

family and neighbours.

Corrugated iron

Security, shield from

sheets with concrete

weather elements and

facial, concrete roof

protection.

Hip roof and concrete roof slab (roof gutter) /deck and

semi-circular arches.

Roof

slab with gutter.

Source: Authors’ analysis and interpretation (2017)

The walls of buildings are basically used to divide blocks concrete blocks finished with plaster and

and enclose spaces, for protection and privacy. The rendered with emulsion paints. The walls are also

walls of Adebisi Giwa was made up of sandcrete used to divide the buildings in to apartments or

Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

2018 SCIENCELINE

19

rooms and defined the space outside and inside the with an infusion of traditional elements and

building structure in terms of fence walls. The walls philosophy. The house is regarded as one of the most

also provide supports to doctenant kind of loads celebrated aspects of the material culture of Ibadan

(dead, life and wind loads). The doors and windows people and it prides itself as one not to be found

are majority of timber/wood material. The major anywhere else in the Yoruba country. With a

functions of doors and windows are to act shield or proportional mix of colonial influence, Afro-

barrier to seeing through, add aesthetics value to the Brazilianism and the traditional impluvium-

building, and providing lighting and ventilation in a courtyard style, the building has stood the test of

building. The windows are also used to enhance time since its completion in 1927 as no major or

visibility from the building which is reflective in the serious repairs have been carried out on the

use of glass with wooden frames a most of the building. The House of Sanusi Adebisi Giwa of Idi-

windows in Giwa Adebisi Idikan residential Kan is indeed and architectural heritage that carry

buildings. While windows and doors also emphasis historical value and must be preserved. The

the design of the building, the door also serves as conservation and the preservation of the building by

access and easy circulation from spaces to spaces in family members welcome a visual relief for passers-

the building. The roof of a building is the envelop for by, visitors and researchers to the family compound.

the entire building. The of the building is Hipped The continued maintenance of the structure must

type roof with concrete slab gutters round the four however receive attention from the heritage agency

sides of the main building through which the of the Federal government of Nigeria as in no other

drainage gutter were embedded and water drains off building in Ibadan is there to be seen the

from the roof to the ground surface gutter and culmination of a heritage infused together as a

channelled out of the building, to the main drainage symbiotic hybrid as one will see in the Adebisi

water channel outside the building. The material for mansion.

the roof is majorly corrugated iron sheets and

DECLARATIONS

concrete slab. The entrance gate was made-up of

iron grills (Steel material) and serves as check for

visitors, and as a means of security to the whole

compound. The gate houses are two in number. The

ceiling finishes are made up of timber and concrete

slab and serves as security and support to upper

floor. It also protects the roof materials/ structures

and serves as aesthetical value for the building.

The rooms are about 85 rooms in member and

are used for relaxation, sleeping and for private

activities. The Hall (Igbejo) is made up of sandcrete

walls and timber ceiling materials. It is used for

receiving visitors; family members; meetings and

mini-court which was used by Adebisi Giwa to settle

disputes among family members and neighbours.

The conveniences in the main building (toilets

and bathroom) are majorly of water system type

while those used by other family members are pit

latrines located at the extreme back of the family

compound.

Authors’ Contributions

Dr A.D. Oluwaseyi is the lead author of the

manuscript. She visited the building, conducted oral

interviews with the occupants of the building and

provided a sketch plan of the building. Dr A.

Adeyemi provided the analytical interpretation of

the designed plan of the building, the building

material and the functional utility of space in the

building. Dr O. Abiodun Akeem wrote the section on

the biography and discussed the personality of the

owner of the house, Chief Sanusi Adebis Giwa of

Idikan. All the authors directly participated in the

planning, execution and analysis of this study, and

have read and approved the final version submitted.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing

interests.

REFERENCES

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

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Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2

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Citation: Oluwaseyi A.D., Akande A. and Akeem O.A.

(2018). Heritage architecture in Ibadan, Nigeria: the

house of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan. J Art Arch Stud. 7 (1):

11-20.

Journal of Art and Architecture Studies

ISSN: 2383-1553

Volume 7, No. 1: 11-20.

2018 SCIENCELINE

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51148/jaas.2018.2