ROAD TRIP BY EI

Is it sane to undertake a venture with your whole family on a road trip around Nigeria, considering attendants risks (armed robberry, bad roads, police/other law enforcement agencies, half sane drivers etc.)?

That was what I did from 23rd July to 18th August. And by the grace of the Lord, we came back home after transversing 5 of 6 regions, in one piece.

For years I've planned, dreamt but procrastinated a land travel around interesting cities within Nigeria. The MDX through Jenju was specifically for the purpose, as my Accord cannot provide appropriate safety features for a family of six (seat belts for five), apart from luggage hauling capacity and comfort (including the on-board home entertainment system).

While most Nigerian roads (particularly the Southern areas) are not in good condition, the greatest challenges were on the Kaduna-Mokwa-Jebba-Ilorin and Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Calabar axes. Particularly the former. Spot on and top quality of course were the Abuja-Keffi, Jos-Bauchi, Kano-Kaduna . . . and (from the South!) the Benin-Warri highways.

Nigeria is a lovely place actually and while the Govt is generally not paying much attention to developing so many areas with high potentials as tourist centres, averagely we may not be doing service to exploiting these same areas during our leisure periods. Na so so oyibo we dey see for some choice remote locations -   Not strange sha, as we also dey explore their own country pass them too sometimes - I found it quite strange during a work experience in Europe, that many Dutch colleagues had never been to the Omniversum (situated right in Den Haag!); place wey I go a couple of times   

It was generally a good experience to visit family members and friends at far flung ends of the country, while also taking in the beauty (where existent) of our own dear native land.
Expensive? Yes!
Wearying? Yes!
But it was quite educational for the kids.
It was great for my wife and I (back to my University after 19yrs of last visit; back to Kano where my wife and I did National service, etc.). The pent up nostalgia for some of those places at least has ebbed off now. . .I'll share below (and later) a few pictures of the adventure. 

                                              Transcorp, Abuja

 

Yankari, bauchi

 

Zoo,jos

 

Miago, Jos.