Unravelling Nigeria
Sep 5, 20173 min
Getting ready to conquer Mount Patti
Mount Patti is 1,500 ft above sea level and it’s a hiker’s dream. The views on the way up are phenomenal and while some prefer to drive up the hill we wouldn’t recommend it. I mean where’s the fun in that? Plus driving can be dangerous especially if you’ve never driven on it.
Forget the sharp bends and steep drops, just get out of the car and get your fit fam on.
Someone jogging on Mount Patti and putting our tired selves to shame
This mountain used to serve as a place of refuge for its earliest inhabitants who were sent down to the Niger valley by colonial administrators. ‘Patti’, is a Nupe word which means hill. This pretty much makes its name ‘Mount Mountain’.
One of the highlights of hiking up Mount Patti is seeing the town below. The views are second to none and it makes you appreciate nature and its beauty. Some of us even had to climb slightly dodgy rocks to get a good view.
It was while looking at Lokoja from the top of Mount Patti that Flora Shaw (Lord Luggard’s wife) decided that our country would be named Nigeria meaning Niger area. This came to her mind because she could see River Niger from there.
Very sure this was what Flora Shaw was staring at when she coined the name ‘Nigeria’
Things we do for the perfect shot
Amazing view of River Niger & River Benue
At the top of Mount Patti, there’s a statue of Lord Luggard and his wife even though the sword attached to it has been stolen by vandals.
He loved the vantage view the hill gave him as he could watch what was going on especially on the high seas. Armed with his binoculars he would monitor the town below.
Lord Luggard’s office can also be found there even though it is now a shadow of its former self. This was where he ruled the Northern protectorate of the country from.
It made me sad because in other countries, the office would definitely have been preserved as much as possible with an experience built around it.
Another building which can be found on the hill is the NTA Office and masts of telecommunication companies.
After walking around we noticed the museum of colonial history but it was locked and we couldn’t find anyone to open it for us. This used to be Lord Luggard’s rest house. He loved Mount Patti so much he had a place for relaxation.
We did find a broken window and took the pictures we could through it. Shame its wasn’t big enough to crawl through.
These are probably some of the chairs Lord Lugard used
Mount Patti is definitely a great hiking trail and the views are honestly worth the climb.
If you feel like you can’t climb then by all means drive up but you’ll miss the views along the way.
It’s a great place to have a picnic with a lot of spots to choose from. For those always looking to get away from it all and just be one with nature, this is ideal.
I do hope that the government restores the broken down buildings and make it the huge tourist attraction it clearly is.
An idea would be to mark a spot and tout it as where Flora Shaw stood when naming the country. A telescope could also be included so people can see the town up close but I suppose if Lord Lugard’s sword could be stolen then that might disappear too.
It was a great trip and we loved it. Hopefully the next time I visit, improvements have been made.
Note – For now there’s no entry/hiking fee. It’s free for all.
Roll Dawgs
Have you been to Mount Patti? Did you drive or hike and what did you think about it.
*prices written are based on the time the visit was made and is subject to change by the owners.
*Reviews are based on opinions and personal experiences, and may differ from person to person
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