The 2016 Christmas and 2017 New Year festivities were unequivocally interesting in the definition of recession within the Nigerian context. These two celebrations are most especially observed in the Southern part of Nigeria, hence the reflections on their effects of the recession and vice versa. Every Nigerian believes that things are hard and that money is not flowing across hands in the land.
The cost of everything that must be purchased with money has gone up over 100%. Businesses, especially the petty ones, are not booming. Rents, food items, school fees, electrical appliances and social amenities have disproportionally increased in prices. Apart from Abuja and just few major cities, not the suburbs of the cities, prices of petrol, gas and kerosene are much higher than the government deregulated prices. In particular, kerosene is sold up to N400 per liter. But one thing, unfortunately, the salaries of civil servants have remained static on the accounts of recession, though the price of crude oil at the international market is improving.
Everybody in the country has one story to tell about how the economic hardship has shaped him or her. Despite the fact that the new fiscal meltdown has taught Nigerians lessons, the festival periods had exclusive entertainment and splendor. And for those who had not visited their villages for over one year, investigations showed that cost of materials and food items are higher than in cities. So those who got the information bought nearly everything required for the festivals and took them home. Some had to also buy their livestock from the cities, kitchen utensils and wears too.
Unlike during previous home-going for the celebrations, travelers carried bags of rice, cartons of frozen foods and drinks. Some who traveled on their private cars bought their rams and canned juice from the cities. On the other hand, many citizens celebrated the occasions without slaughtering animals. Some reclined on iced fish. Some others initiated the plan to contribute amongst themselves to buy an animal however to slaughter and let the day pass.
The irony of these celebrations is that while people claimed the condition was hard, markets and roads were busier than ever. As from 15th December 2016, the major link roads between the south and Abuja and that of Lagos were shocked up. I had cause to travel on the 21st of December and saw what I saw on the Abuja-Lokoja-Enugu Road. Transportation fare was already as high as N10,000 for a journey that was half that price during the ordinary period. Investigations revealed that those who traveled a day before the Xmas paid N15,000 and above, though some corporate transport companies including Peace Mass Transit saved the situation a bit by charging N9,200. This happened amidst the fact that there was no increase in fuel price or scarcity of the commodity.
Nonetheless, the Abuja-Lokoja Road which has never been completed since its award to three construction companies by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration witnessed a great vehicular movement. This very important road to southern citizens needs to be completed. The traffic was terrible day by day. It was worst on the 23 and 24 days of the month. I was quite shocked by the large number of mobile machines on the road. I wondered where the vehicles were coming from amidst the recession the country is said to be experiencing. Most private vehicles were overloaded; thanks to the leniency of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during the period. The decision of the agency to allow free flow of travelers without strict restriction and faultfinding during the period is commendable.
By 27thDecember when I was coming back to Abuja, I was surprised that the traffic was also terrible along the same roads. I then realized the fact that many people who do not celebrate the Xmas, travel after the 25th to celebrate the New Year. In fact, many people prefer the New Year celebrations nowadays. This makes transportation to remain high throughout the two festive periods, say from 15th December to January 15th of the subsequent year. It may be understandable from the angle that for Xmax, transporters come from the south virtually with empty buses to meet up the demand in the cities. That is the situation after the New Year celebration when vehicles leave the cities to the south empty to bring back people from their villages.
Unfortunately, citizens who travel within these periods to the south suffer untold hardship; not the people who celebrate and are used to the trend. Vehicles, including those of corporate companies carry excess luggage and subject passengers to sufferings. Some of the vehicles used to break down halfway and passengers are left to their fate. Some travelers shared their experiences. One of them who travelled with Peace Mass on 31st December narrated how the bus, overloaded to the brim, broke down at Ejule. The passengers, it was reported, suffered and could not reach their destination until the following day after spending the night on the way. The buses used by Peace Mass are not made to carry heavy and large baggage but the loaders do it to collect money and suffer the travelers. Peace Mass must check this ugly trend and strive hard to maintain its position as one of the most responsible and responsive mass-oriented transport service in Nigeria.
Furthermore, despite the recession and ‘hard merry Xmas’, some observations baffled me. Investigations also showed that people, unlike during previous festivities, did not sell their used cars to celebrate. Some automobile engineers popularly called mechanics even complained that they did not get enough customers like before. Mr. Mike, working in a major mechanic stations in Abuja, said: “This year is not very good for us. People complain of hardship and it is true. Unfortunately, we saw it all this year. People with more than a car used to sell one through us to go home and enjoy the Xmas and New Year. Some used to sell their only car hoping to buy a replacement after returning from home at the New Year. Some will even write ‘buy me’ or ‘for sale’ with their mobile phone numbers on their cars. This year, things are different. Everybody is careful”.
Moreover, amidst the perceived recession, drink joints were very lively throughout the festive periods. It is clear that breweries do not witness the impact of recession because owners of drink points made their gains. It is noticed that such business thrives only in the southern part of Nigeria. It has also been argued that the business thrives more in the southeast geopolitical zone of the country. Statistical analysis showed that the amount of money which revelers spend on drinking would have turned around the fortunes of the Igbo if dedicated to individual development. This makes one wonder how a rational citizen would deposit part of the monthly earning on drinking. Some fathers would prefer to satisfy their drinking urge and starve their families. This attitude is often common during these festive periods. Some towns in the zone are renowned to be the highest consumption spots for alcoholic drinks where billions of naira are said to be spent yearly on different brands of such drinks.
In addition, sellers of firearms made their own gains too. Firearms are prohibited but people defy police order on this. With the high cost of things, some people including very responsible citizens spent heavily on procuring firearms to celebrate. In few cases, petty thieves and even armed robbers capitalize on the confusion between the sounds of real guns and firearms to carry out their crimes. That is why the police must be strict in stopping or controlling this menace. The police can curb it by mounting up effective campaigns against it through billboards, radio jingles, flyers and town hall meetings. The state governors can be of financial and moral help in this regard. Thereafter, the police can prove its seriousness by arresting the sellers who have shops since the buyers and users don’t remain in static places.
During the festivities, people utilize the periods to carry out burials and marriages. In short that the duo is what mainly takes some people home. Because such journeys are capital intensive thus being ignored, people fix their burial and marriage ceremonies to attract city-dwellers. These are two ceremonies that are also rated high in the southern part of Nigeria. They are the events that attract true lovers and admirers. In some places in the southsouth zone, burial is the highest celebration. A person, in that part of the country, can sever a relationship or friendship for not honouring such invitations.
Crimes are often in the increase during the periods. Some people who would feel to have been taken unaware of the arrival of Xmas or who claim to have tried hard and failed would want to enjoy it by all means. They form gangs and force the visitors from cities to part away with their belonging on their ways to home or at home. Apart from that, cases are reported of wicked actions by villagers against visiting family members and townsmen. Out of envy, villagers plan evil for their visiting personalities. Some, sometimes, go to the extreme to kill out of inferiority complex that those from the cities have excelled and made fortunes. Last year, there was a case of a couple killed by a relation due to failed promise. The couple lived abroad and sent money to their relative to build a house for them at home. On arriving home, they found that nothing was done and rather than seek peace and understanding the relative poisoned them. There are several cases of spiritual attacks after visiting home by city dwellers. That is why some believers in fetishism have abandoned their homes.
Howbeit, the festivals were celebrated not minding the recession. The federal and governments did their best to ensure the smooth events. The Road Safety was everywhere on the express ways; the customs did not trouble travelers as it used to be; the police ensured security of lives and property. But the Abuja-Lokoja-Enugu/Benin road still wears its ever ugly look, thus seek urgent attention to ease journeys downwards the country.
Muhammad Ajah is an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance in Abuja. E-mail [email protected]