babs Oyetoro, Deborah Onyofufeke, and Cajetan Mmuta
The usual convivial feelings around the Yuletide season among Nigerians seem to be gradually evaporating as citizens are remunerating on how to jettison the lofty ideas of going to their hometowns to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones this December.
Most Nigerians cited the protracted issue of prevailing insecurity in the country and the astronomical rise in transport fares due to subsidy removal.
From the foregoing, this Christmas may go down in history as one of the poorly celebrated festivals for citizens domiciling outside their states within the federation.
Most people ThisNigeria spoke with expressed their frustration on the vexed issue, complaining that the economy was not friendly with Nigerians at the moment.
They said the development may likely affect the volume of human traffic outside their place of domicile.
According to a head driver in one of the transport companies based in the commercial town of Onitsha, Anambra State, Mr Kasie Okeke, things are tough for Nigerians this time.
He said, “For us in the business of commercial transportation. It is no longer business as usual. We are finding it hard to break even after buying fuel to travel from here (Onitsha) to Lagos and beyond.
“Besides, the transport fares are high and the number of passengers travelling from Lagos to Onitsha has dropped drastically. Passengers coming to the Eastern parts of Nigeria are few in numbers as the usual propensity to travel home by many people has gone down drastically. Things are hard for people. This ugly development is having adverse effects on our business.”
Okeke continued, “Again, the deplorable security situation in the South-East has led to the killing of many innocent citizens by unknown gunmen. People are afraid to go home to celebrate the Yuletide with their loved ones. Is it better to come home and get killed because of Christmas or New Year celebrations?”
It was learnt that transport fare has gone up astronomically from between N35,000 and N37, 000 by road from Lagos to Onitsha. From other parts of the East and South-South hovers around N45,000 and N50,000.
Airfare, it was learnt, is now for the rich and has gone beyond the reach of many as from Lagos to Owerri, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Uyo and Calabar has exceeded N200,000. Also, from Abuja to the Eastern states and South-South regions have passed N200,000 as of yesterday.
Also, a business man lent his voice to the discussion, Mr George Ozinna, said, “For my family and I, we are not going anywhere because one can see the insecurity in the land. You can’t go home and sit down in a village or community where boys you don’t know are carrying arms and God forbid, in the night you cannot predict what will happen next.”
He advised those residing in urban areas to remain in their respective places due to the high fares and rising insecurity.
“One should stay where you are currently residing and enjoy your Christmas and New Year rather than wasting your hard-earned money on fares and then be killed by these criminal elements,” he said.
He, however, tasked both state and federal governments to take decisive steps toward addressing the contentious issues affecting states and people in the South East zone.
On his part, Obi Festus a civil servant stated that Christmas and New Year festivities are no longer what they used to be because everybody is suffering under the prevailing hardship.”
“It’s no longer a question of travelling or buying this or that for yourself or family for Xmas and New Year but rather Nigerians are struggling to provide for their daily meal.
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Just like other respondents, Vivian Obiora expressed worry over the hike in flight tickets as she doesn’t want to travel by road for obvious reasons.
“I always travel down to the east every year for the Christmas holidays and now the price of transportation is not friendly. I do not even intend to go by road because of the insecurity scare.
“Can you imagine, Abuja to Asaba is now N250,000 by air? That is a lot of money, but I am not deterred though, I am going home for Xmas and nothing will change that.
I just miss the old times when there was no insecurity and one could travel by road with little money and have excess to do more shopping for family members back at home”.
As for Chinaza Ikwegbu, “I won’t be travelling this Xmas even though I missed my folks dearly. The transport is too high. If I expend about 80k (going and coming back) on transport, I wouldn’t have much on me to shop for my aged parents again.
“Food items are no longer cheap so I am going to send them my transport and top it a little so that they can buy food with it and have a great Christmas celebration. I took my time to think things through and weigh my options and this is honestly the best decision for me. I wish I could go and see how they are doing but insufficient funds caused by high transportation will not allow me.”
Ikechukwu Obinna maintained that he would travel home no matter the cost because he had very important things to attend to.
“I will surely travel. I am a son of the soil, no level of insecurity can stop me from going home. I come from a very big family and the Yuletide period is that time of the year when we all get a chance to be together.
“I can’t trade that for anything else. It is always such a memorable experience for me that I can’t afford to miss it. I am going in the company of a friend with my car. Last Tuesday, I gave my car to the mechanic for servicing in preparation for the trip. I know I am going to spend a lot but I have already conditioned my mind towards it.”
According to Mary Ajanaku, “I won’t be travelling because of transportation fare and kidnapping. From Abuja to Edo State, is not supposed to be a long journey, but a lot of unpleasant things can happen before one gets to his destination.
“Besides, the road is so bad. My husband and I have resolved to stay back in Abuja and go out with the kids instead for the usual Christmas and New Year celebrations outside our base. So that’s it for us”.
Bayo Olorundare was blunt in his response, “No, I am not travelling. For so many obvious reasons, it is too expensive and dangerous to travel now. Road travel is not safe and going by air is too expensive.
“My parents are dead, so, if I were to go, it would have been to attend our Old Students Association get-together, catch up with old friends, and see some relatives, but the reason is not crucial enough for me to take the risk or make the extra sacrifice. So, I am not going because it is not worth it.”
