In a short while from now, summer (hopefully the weather may improve) would eventually present itself properly all over the UK. Hmm... Did I
just hear someone hum the lyrics “summer, summer, summer time” by Will Smith? And Summer time implies loads of fun! It means
a time for picnics, outdoors, all kinds of finger foods, fried or roasted (name them. Pizzas of
all kinds/styles from Italian Pizzas, traditional pizzas to Chicken Satay rolled
ham, Cheese flutes and scores more).
Also apart from enjoying the finger foods, (for all those in
the cold regions) it is in addition a time for all sorts of light clothing as
alternative for all the warm clothing. A time to do away for the time being,
the heavy coats, head/neck warmers as well as the hand gloves for lovely
shorts, flip flops and what have you, as summer gives opportunities to all the
fashion conscious individuals especially for those ladies who love to add a little
Boho Chic to their wardrobes. In the past few weeks and days, families, loved
ones, friends and fiends alike in Diaspora especially those in the UK are
looking forward to the lovely weather. Social blogs will be busy with pictures
of picnics and how they have welcomed the summer with so much enthusiasm.
Back home in West Africa, finger foods are eaten on a daily
basis year-in-year-out (aren’t we blessed?*smiles*). Nonetheless, how healthy are these finger
foods we eat daily? That is a topic for another day. So also we are privileged
to dress up or down, wear whatever we feel like as most of the season is warm.
In Nigeria, plans are already being put in place by the
affluent and buoyant families who can afford the usual summer vacation as they
wait for their wards to round off school term for the holidays. Also before and
even as you read this column, embassies are being besieged by veteran
travellers for renewal of visas or first timers who want to have a taste of the
supposed ‘been to’ good life or time abroad on vacation.
Every year, thousands of people, predominantly Nigerians, troupe
out of West Africa to different parts of the world on holidays especially at
summer. In no distant time, as soon as the children go on holidays or close for
the term in Nigeria, the airports will all be agog with a beehive of activities
by those who want to travel to the UK, America etc. Very soon, the phones of
most account officers of all those who own accounts in the banks will be buzzing
unending as requests for dollars, pounds, euro etc will flow in continuously.
And of course threats of accounts closure will be sent as most of the time, the
account officers and their banks are unable to meet the high demands; hence the
refusal of these accounts officers to pick up calls from their clients as they
would have run out of flimsy excuses and reasons why they cannot give the
clients the amount of Personal Travelling Allowance or Business Travelling Allowance
they require. The question then, how much do we know of our own country or
surrounding countries?
There are lots of destinations with enough tourists’
attractions in several places within Nigeria and around West Africa that are
barely explored by the citizens of these places. Yet a good percentage of these
citizens are desperate to go outside their surroundings to other countries with
so much foreign exchange when they are already endowed with both man-made as
well as natural attractions all around them.
Every now and then, we hear information about how the Government
and Ministry of Tourism are making efforts to improve tourism in Nigeria as it
will improve the nation’s revenue. Nevertheless, Nigerians still troop out in
thousands on vacation to other parts of the world at any given opportunity even
though another larger percentage lament about tough times.
A few days ago, while seeing off an Aunt, a retired civil
servant in her sixties to the airport as she was on her way to the UK on
holidays for a few weeks. On our way, I asked her about this idea of Nigerians
always wanting to travel to other countries on holidays when they rarely know
any vacation spots within the country. She alleged that it is not like she
really enjoys travelling to London all the time; “left to me, I would prefer
visiting places within Nigeria, for example, I have always heard about the
Yankari game reserve but I have never visited as most people around me rarely
seem to be interested and I do not think it will be fun going there alone”.
She
went further to say that “even Obudu Ranch is another place I would love to
visit and also attend the annually held Carnival in Calabar but because I do
not have any friends or family to stay with so I haven’t gone. I know there are
hotels to stay, but like I said earlier, I just cannot go alone as it would be
a lot more fun if I went with other people”. Just before she got off the car at
the airport, she later added light-heartedly that “even this idea of travelling
during the summer sometimes does not really appeal to me” laughing lightly she
continued “if not that it’s a lot easier to move around in the UK during the
summer, I would even prefer to travel more during the cold season as we have
enough sun here to make up for the summer” she concluded.
One of Nollywood’s film Producer, Mr Gordon Irole affirms
that left to him, he would prefer to take his family on vacation to places
within and around Nigeria because there are still lots of places that people
have not been or heard about in Africa. In the Northern part of Nigeria alone,
there are several beautiful places that have not been discovered or explored by
loads of people and poor marketing or publicity he said could be one of the
factors militating against exploration by these potential tourists/visitors.
He cited an example like the Gambia, which although is not as
big as Nigeria but at the same time offers a wide variety of tourist
attractions to people. Mr Irole mentioned that In the Gambia there are a good number of beaches for
several leisure activities, lovely hotels, Restaurants as well as shops for all
those who love shopping and also several local night clubs for those who enjoy
partying and lot more attractions. In his own words “as a matter of fact, a
holiday or vacation away in the Gambia is an experience that you would never want
to forget for a lifetime as there will always be the urge to revisit again”.
Continuing he said “apart from the reality that it is a lot cheaper than going
to the UK for instance, it also feels like home in the Gambia” he finished off.
In an interesting chat with Mr Gbenga Adesanya, the CEO of an
energy services company Diekolop Konsults Limited, in his own words said that “as a Nigerian I have travelled and covered
the six zones of the nation. My first local holiday was in 1975 to see
historical sites in Orimedu near Epe. The three day visit was exciting but
stressful as I had to return to Lagos each night due to lack of even a motel.
As a lover of historical sites the joy of discovery fired my spirit on
subsequent trips. Most travellers in my group often complain of poor road
access, not enough air and sea travel facilities and infrastructure. Till now,
an air trip to Kaduna and Sokoto via Abuja could prove costly. I had to sleep
in Abuja due to breakdown of the Aircraft flying us to Sokoto at personal cost
as the Airline announced the continuation of our journey was postponed till the
next morning since no plane was available for that evening. A foreign airline
would put you up in at least a 3 Star Hotel with apologies”!
In the course of the chat, Mr Adesanya went further to say
that “the roads and waterways in Nigeria
are not safe and very stressful even before the advent of the quiet Niger Delta
militancy, the Boko Haram flares and the pockets of Intra ethnic clashes over
boundaries and political spoils of office. Travelling from Lagos to Abuja on
four occasions, proved terrifying as contending groups traded gunfire at Okene
in Kogi State. The Police and the Military had to deploy combat personnel to
create safe passages for us. Added on is the low budget of the average
traveller as the big spenders in our hotels appear to be government officials
and the Political class. The depressed and traumatized middle class cannot
travel locally talk less of overseas holidays! Tinapa would have been
excellent, but the services are expensive due to cost of providing electricity
by the Generating sets guzzling average of six million naira of diesel monthly”.
A little bit of contrast to Mr Irole, who believes that there are lots of
unexplored places of attractions within Nigeria, Mr Adesanya stresses that “The
Nigerian Tourism Corporation should come up with a well articulated development
plan to plant more secured hotels and resorts as well as exciting parks and
gardens for the enjoyment of Nigerians”.
The preceding views and opinions should serve as an eye
opener and food for thought to every individual. Tunisia, one of the Afro Arab
Mediterranean countries, earns 85% of her Foreign exchange from tourism with
less historical sites than Nigeria. Tourism is a goldmine, Nigeria should
exploit this money spinner one of the avenues to mend and develop our nation’s
economy. Nigeria remains a potential world beater if only we get it right. So
let us join hands in reawakening that spirit of developing, promoting and exploring
within our shores before going out there. Let us attract more tourists to
Africa. It can only begin with YOU! Peace!!
*We await your thoughts and comments*
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