Emmanuel Ejeh, a young barbershop owner in Abuja, Nigeria, has not been able to visit his elderly mother in Benue state for eight years due to the economic challenges and rising costs of travel. Similarly, Precious Olisekwu, a product designer in Lagos, feels the emotional burden of not being able to visit her parents in Port Harcourt due to the high cost of air tickets and security concerns on the roads. Additionally, Kevin, who lives in Lagos, faces challenges and harassment from security checkpoints when traveling to Calabar, making it difficult for him to reunite with his community during the holidays. Fidel Iwu also expresses frustrations about the increasing insecurity in his village, which prevents him and his siblings from visiting their mother during Christmas.
The economic crisis in Nigeria and the rising cost of living have made it challenging for young people to maintain age-old traditions of visiting their families during Christmas. Not only do they face financial constraints, but they also encounter security threats and safety concerns while traveling. As a result, they feel the impact of isolation and disconnection from their families and communities during a time that holds significant cultural and traditional value.
Emmanuel Ejeh, a barbershop owner in an affluent area of Nigeria's capital, has not been able to visit his elderly mother 200 miles away in Benue state for eight years due to the escalating costs of travel. The economic crisis and the increasing insecurity on the roads have made it difficult for young Nigerians like Ejeh to maintain the age-old tradition of traveling home for Christmas. The rising inflation and low wages have forced many young people to forego the annual return to their hometowns or villages during the festive season.
More than 133 million of Nigeria's 225 million people live in poverty, with 70% of them being aged under 30. Young Nigerians now find it challenging to balance low wages with the soaring cost of living, making it difficult to afford the expenses of traveling home for Christmas. In addition to the financial burden, the security concerns and harassment from police checkpoints during travel further contribute to the challenges of reuniting with their families and communities during the holidays.
The soaring costs of transportation have made it challenging for young people to maintain the traditional Christmas migration to their home towns or villages, leading to emotional burden and disconnection from their families and communities during a time that holds significant cultural and traditional value.