Bepo recalls the poem titled "Ibadan" by J.P. Clark as he journeyed through the capital city on his way to renew his passport. The poem gives an apt description of the Ibadan landscape that he sees as the Sienna he was in reached the top of the hilly bridge after Bere. 

Ibadan, grinning splash of rust

and gold-flung and scattered among 

seven hills like broken china in the sun. 

This can be found on page 51 of the novel.