Days after Christmas celebration, the memories still linger in Abuja, as residents recount experiences in major parks and amusement centres , in the capital city.
Residents are still seen in motor parks travelling to spend the first few weeks of New Year with loved ones, while Christmas trees and decorations still adorn gates and entrances of shopping malls, hotels, bars, churches and public buildings.
Fun seekers, who visited amusement centres, like children’s park and zoo, Asokoro, Amusement park, Garki, Wonderland Wuye, Jabi parks, Jabi and zoological garden, Garki, recalled exciting experiences during Christmas and their expectations for the coming year, while managers of the recreational centres are happy with revenue generated from the patronage.
A fun seeker, who identified himself simply as Amaju said: “Problems have no end and ‘Wahala no de finish’. If we wait, until things become perfect, we will die with lives unlived! This Christmas for some very good reason is my best. I wasn’t financially at 100, but I am grateful for life. God is good. I had fun this Christmas and I still allow the beautiful memory to flow. The New Year is before us and I look forward to it with huge optimism. It is a crucial year for everyone. It is the time we will exercise our votes for a new government, I pray it favours all Nigerians.”
Another fun seeker, Dorcas Opara, who is a teacher said: “ We had a swell time, we are still having fun though. I am a teacher and there is every reason to celebrate life and have fun. I took my kids to Wonderland and they were happy to meet other children, who also came in huge numbers. 2023 is so significant in our national lives, I pray people and God elect good leaders.”
Ibrahim Moshood, a welder also shared his excitement, he said: “I am a Muslim, but the Christmas celebration was fun for me. I had so much fun with my Christian brothers. We went to Jabi Lake and Zoological garden. The message of Christmas is love and I hope everyone will come together, casting away tribalism, and religious sentiment, and make 2023 even better for all of us.”
An entertainer, Stanley Ebuka, said: “Kubwa is empty. I am a musician. I go to restaurants and bars to entertain people. People travelled a lot and they are still travelling to my greatest surprise. Five of my neighbours are travelling a day to the eve of the New Year. It is so evident that they are not concerned with security scares to travel to see their loved ones. That is so beautiful.”
Ebuka said he is optimistic that Year 2023, as an election day will usher a new hope in the country.
The station master of Kubwa train station, Mr Abdullahi Gani, expressed happiness for the large turnout of travellers. He assured prospective passengers of security and a comfortable voyage to their destinations.
The Chief security officer of Kubwa bus park and a transportation expert, Dennis Daniel said there are more travellers going by road than he expected.
He urged the government to step up in providing of security and invest in the building and rehabilitation of roads to aid land transportation.
