Despite economic headwinds, Nigerians celebrate Xmas, hope for better days

• Leaders must rebuild trust, embrace compassion for one another, say clergy

Notwithstanding the economic challenges posed by the persistent naira scarcity, food inflation, and impact of fuel subsidy removal, many Nigerians across the country today join the rest of the World to mark this year’s Christmas.

Christmas is a period set aside yearly to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. It is more than a Christian holiday, festival or an occasion to decorate houses or streets but provided opportunity to believers and non-believers to pause, reflect and give thanks for the love, hope and joy in Jesus, the Saviour and friend of man.

It is also a period for long distance traveling, visit to fun centres, sharing of gifts, materials, food items and cash to loved ones, the less privileged, strangers and families, as well as wining and dining, all to appreciate one another in the spirit of the season.

In his greetings on Christmas, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, argued that there is nothing more precious, than to give to others.
“The mystery of Christmas fills our hearts with awe at an unexpected message: God has come, God is here in our midst, and his light has forever pierced the darkness of the world. We need to hear and accept this message anew, especially in these days tragically marked by the violence of war, momentous risks posed by climate change, and by poverty, suffering, hunger and all the grave problems of the present time.

It is comforting to discover that even in those painful situations, and all the other problems of our frail human family, God makes himself present in this crib, the manger where today he chooses to be born and to bring the Father’s love to all,” he said.

He emphasised the need for everyone to embrace God’s own style of ‘closeness, compassion, and tenderness for one another.

Speaking at a Carol service in Abuja, Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, advised politicians to rebuild trust of the youths in their country through good leadership.

In a service to mark Christmas Sunday, a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Songs of Victory Parish, Lagos, Mrs. Atinuke Idowu, said Nigerians must celebrate irrespective of challenges as the essence of the season is to show forth in joy and praises to God.

She noted that the birth of Christ is to give joy to believers. Quoting Isaiah 12 verse 3, she declared that ‘with joy, believers shall draw water out of the wells of salvation’.

Besides, since last weekend, many Nigerians have being organising special Christmas carol services, outreach to sing, dance and appreciate God for sparing their lives while others visit markets, shopping centres, grocery stores and wine shops to purchase items to mark the festivity.

A Nigerian/Christian trader, Mr. Emeka Offor, provided perspectives on Christmas travel, the increasing cost of transportation, and the impact of Naira scarcity.

Offor said although, he personally does not celebrate Christmas, he would travel during this season if there were occasions or invitations that require his presence elsewhere.

He confirmed an increase in the cost of travel for the festivity, compared to what was experienced a month ago, when he had traveled. He attributed this rise to the nature of the season, suggesting that transportation fares tend to be raised due to increased demand.

He further opined that price hikes during Christmas were not limited to transportation alone, but also affected other commodities in Nigeria, with prices often inflated by 10 to 15 per cent.

Regarding President Tinubu’s offer of a 50 per cent rebate on luxurious buses and trains for domestic travel during this period, Offor acknowledged the positive intent behind the initiative.

The initiative, announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aims to make travel more affordable for selected routes, including Oshodi Transport Interchange during the festive season. Travel destinations, in the North, East, and South, were included in the subsidy programme.

He, however, expressed the need for tangible implementation policy. He emphasised that the government should have provided buses to demonstrate the reduction in fares rather than implementing the policy through private transport companies. He believed that this would instill confidence and encourage people to believe in the government’s promises.

On naira scarcity, believed that the scarcity should not be prevalent since the government exists for the people, and individuals should not suffer when accessing their funds. He highlighted the frustration of withdrawing money from banks and receiving only 20 per cent of the requested amount and appealed that the government should address the issue promptly. “Naira scarcity could lead some individuals to extreme measures, impacting their mental well-being.
Customers often face limitations when purchasing goods, as they would visit the bank only to receive a fraction of the requested amount. This scarcity resulted in a dull economic atmosphere with people having limited spending power, ultimately. I call for government intervention and improvement,” he said.

Speaking with The Guardian, Assistant Director of Operations and Maintenance for Planet Project Limited, the terminal operator of Oshodi Travel interchange, Lagos, Mr. Edet Mfon, explained that Christmas is a time for people to come together and enjoy quality time with their loved ones. He emphasised that the holiday provides an opportunity for families to bond and create lasting memories.

Mfon attributed the significant changes in transportation costs over time to the removal of fuel subsidy, which affected the prices of goods and services, including public transport.

“Since then, fluctuations in fuel prices have continued to influence transport fares, particularly for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), the main fuel for public transportation.

During the yuletide, we always witnessed an astronomical increase in the prices of public transport. As I speak with you, within the last few days, we’ve had an increase in the transport fare of passengers as regards different destinations.

He disclosed that during the season, Oshodi Transport Interchange experience a surge in prices due to increased demand.
“In recent days, transport operators have raised their fares, primarily driven by the higher number of passengers. This trend is a common occurrence during the festive season. While the terminal primarily caters for inter-state routes in the Southwestern states of Nigeria such as Ondo, Oyo, and Ekiti, they also accommodate luxurious buses traveling to Southeastern states like Onitsha, Owerri, and Awka, among others,” he said.

Specifically, he disclosed that luxurious buses heading to some South-eastern routes, charged from N23, 500 naira per passenger. He, however, mentioned that these prices are subject to change.

Mfon said: “For Southwestern destinations like Akure and Ilorin, the current fare stands at N7, 000. In January, fares for Southeastern routes ranged from N12, 000 to N15, 000. However, they have now risen to N23, 500 and above. Similarly, Southwestern destinations witnessed an increase from N5, 000 to N5, 500, to the current rate of N7, 000.

He pointed out a noticeable decline in traveling compared to last year.
“Comparing now with one year ago for instance, what we witnessed before is that during the yuletide, the terminal always witnessed a significant increase in passenger traffic, but right now, what we have noticed, because of the prices of transport fare, and general increase in prices of goods and services, we noticed that most passengers prefer to send their goods, and that for me, is a major, major difference, comparing to last year.”

He attributed this reduction to the high transportation costs and the preference of passengers to send their goods rather than travel personally.
Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the recently introduced 50 per cent transport subsidy scheme announced by the government may reverse the trend. He anticipated a significant increase in the number of travelers, as people strive to take advantage of the government’s initiative.

Mfon acknowledged the potential impact naira scarcity on travelers’ ability to pay cash for their fares but said the electronic payment platforms and cashless transactions could provide alternative means of payment, mitigating the direct effect of the currency shortage.

“While the scarcity may pose challenges for those reliant on cash payments, it could also serve as an opportunity for online payment platforms to experience growth,” he said.

He noted that there were challenges for both travelers and transport operators, adding that rising cost of fuel posed a significant hurdle for operators, impacting their ability to generate revenue and meet financial obligations.

“For passengers, inflation and increased transport fares reduced their purchasing power, making it more difficult to afford transportation. To address these challenges; the nation needs further improve transportation efficiency.

He suggested that government should provide mass transit systems, that’ll discourage a lot of people from using personal vehicles on the highways.

Mfon also urged the government to invest in mass transit systems such as rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems by expanding rail networks and implementing BRT systems, to encourage more people to utilise public transportation, reduce reliance on private vehicles and alleviating traffic congestion.

“These investments would provide commuters with reliable and accessible alternatives, improving their daily commute experience,” he said.