of virgin land, farms and bush. It is lavishly landscaped to produce exquisite environment. The beauty of the land is enhanced by artworks spiced all over the place.
The Wonderland has a museum called a Garden of Fame and Heroes. The museum conveys the mood of sadness and homesickness as it is stocked with bronze statues of our heroes. The statue of Igbenedion, the owner of Okada Wonderland welcomes the visitor. Also the statues of other prominent Nigerians living and death dotted the beautiful arena. The Okada Baptist Church which seats about three thousand worshippers is a magnificent to behold. The walls are neatly adorned with pictures while the outer walls adorned with bronze works showing the scene of nativity , the three wise men from the East offering gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh to the Lord Jesus Christ, another depicting the limp body of Jesus Christ and also the scene of Atonement.
The wonderland resort has a six-court tennis complex with assorted restaurants for foods. The facilities for kids especially the Okada space astronauts made of plastic and swollen blower, many residential bungalows painted with the colour of milk, all glistering in the sun.
Okada Wonderland is an escape from the chaotic urban life, a romance with nature and a hiding place for fun seekers who want to savour historical artifacts of the ancient Benin Kingdom.
The Wonderland is in the heart of Okada village in Ovia Local Government of Edo State. The resort is a thirty minutes drive from Benin and is sandwiched between the thick forests along Benin- Ore Expressway.
The village was founded by Ikaladerhan, the banished son of Ogiso, which was many years a rustic village. The Esama of Benin, Gabriel Igbenedion has transformed it to the envy of its neighbours.
The village enjoys pipe borne water, a secondary school, a police barracks, a civic hall, banking facilities as well as a customary court. The village also has a 300-bed specialist hospital, a post office and many more other facilities.
The sleepy village of Okada is a hybrid of the old and the new. The old mud houses of the villagers have their front plastered with cement while those built by Igbenedion are a beauty to behold. The modern architectural and magnificent edifices are truly a mirror in the sun. Though, these impressive buildings have little effect on the life of the village, as unkempt children run and play all over the place while women dry pepper or cocoa beans in the sun and the men seen playing draught to while away the time.
During the night, young men visit the Wonderland Hotel, truly their own wonderland, a run down affair built of mud and cement, the major attractions seemed to be loud music and girls dressed in beach wears.
Life in Okada Wonderland is predominantly human. It enjoys the rut of the unusual, a theatre where the community displayed their dramatic skills and every day village life. Some of the bungalows located at the un-reclaimed areas are in very bad shape. A large sculptured angels praying outside the Baptist Church is a master-piece of artwork.
The shopping centre is another glistening complex. It displayed many wares ranging from consumables items to decorated calabashes and the swimming pool is an Olympic size paved with marbles.
The head of Queen Idia, the symbol of Okada Group which adorned the centre of the Wonderland is well in place. This is a dream place to go and recreate away from the bustle and hustle of the city centre.
You can wander into the thick and dark forest for hunting adventure.
