TREKKING, NOW MOST POPULAR FORM OF COMMUTING IN NIGERIA

Trekking is an outdoor activity of walking from a distance. It is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. Trekking could be a motive, It could be a commitment, an aim, an objective, a mission, a party, a social gathering. It could be a place where you find friends, and it could be a journey. It could be a slightest chance to save our future generation from losing the nature lovers, mother earth holding within. It can be shortened or extended as per the desire of trekkers.It could also be as a result of inability to pay for other means of transportation and this is the last resort.

Nigerians will not forget May 29, 2023 in a hurry. A day when Former President Muhammadu Buhari handed over to another elected president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the 16th elected President of Nigeria. During the inauguration ceremony at the Eagles Square Abuja, the newly sworn in president while delivering his speech said “Subsidy is gone”.

As if they had been waiting for it, most filling stations immediately changed their pump price from 195 naira to prices between 300 and 700naira, causing instant hardship and long queues to start, until the NNPC on the 30th of May formally released prices of each regions which fixes prices between 488 and 535 naira.

The situation of things in Nigeria is precarious because minimum wage is 30,000 naira while fuel price is currently between 495 and above. The rise in fuel price automatically affects the prices of everything in the country because no matter the goods you are buying,it will definitely need to be transported. Also, many businesses run on generators, and the higher the fuel price, the higher the cost of goods and services.

For travelers,the motive of the journey needs to be genuinely important before anyone can embark on any journey now as the cost of interstate and intra state transportation is now on the high side.

Subsidy removal is not bad as it will reduce the rate at which a large volume of Nigerian oil is being sold to neighbouring countries. Now,Nigerians can now enjoy their fuel. And also, market forces will determine the price of fuel.

Since the new administration took over in Nigeria, morning time and evening time is a peak period for those trekking home since car owners now ration driving due to the huge cost of fuel. Car owners now longer want to give lift except people are ready to bear the cost of the fuel together. An era where husband and wives drive different cars are long forgotten as this new fuel price reality has made everyone cut costs as much as they can.

But now, people resort to trekking because of paucity of funds and that is the only way to get home since bus, cab and even bike fares have now doubled to match the doubled price of buying fuel. They trek because they have no alternative, they simply cannot afford the transport. Some people will trek almost half the distance to their destination before taking transport, because by trekking, they have reduced the amount they would have paid by half.

Trekking also has health benefits but too much of everything is bad.

As Nigerians continue to endure the new reality of no pain, no gain,it is our belief that the wait would actually be worth it, and while we wait, it is also expected that the government would also put some palliative countermeasures in place, to cushion the effect and give Nigerians a soft landing. Solutions like increasing the minimum wage, investing in electricity generation and supply to ensure improved power supply, and other ideas have been put forward by Nigerians to the government. It is believed that the government knows what to do, and has the interest of the poor masses at heart, otherwise Nigerians may have to prepare for harder days.

This is also a time those who have in excess can show some love to those who don’t have. Kindness is an act. When you see people in need of genuine lift, offer them, if you cannot, give them money. The Nigeria of our dreams is almost here if we can all believe and work towards it from the leadership to the led. Together,we can achieve it.

Written by Tosin Adesile.

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