Nigerians unexcited about Easter celebration as economy wobbles
…Say, hard times ambushed their joy
Once again, it is Easter celebration, but there is hardly much signs that people are celebrating.
From motor parks, grocery stores, to public markets, normal business activities are taking place, without any rush.
While the Easter celebration does not attract much festivities like Christmas and New Year, due to its essence, the level of indifference to it this year is baffling.
“Ordinarily, one should celebrate after the 40 days lenten season, but Easter fosters spiritual discipline rather than celebration and that is why Christians do not throw parties now. We rather reflect on the essence of it, the sacrifice and spend less,” Humphrey Edewor, a lawyer and staunch Catholic, explained.
According to him, Easter will never be a big celebration like Christmas as most churches don’t conduct weddings and also discourage faithful from indulging in much merriment in order to properly reflect on the essence of the celebration.
“If you check, most serious Catholics will not indulge in much merriment this period, weddings are after the season and even house warming. These are part of the reasons less people travel for Easter celebrations,” Edewor noted.
Away from the spiritual perspective, Belema Amakri, a banker, pointed out that the harsh economic reality has forced many to be prudent in managing their expenditure, including Easter expenses.
According to the banker, people give priority to their essential needs now, especially feeding, as big celebrations are out of it because of the exorbitant cost.
“Yes, I am a banker, but I don’t own all the money in the bank. I only receive a salary every month and need to manage it because times are hard.
“As I speak, I have just cancelled my trip to Buguma, in River State, this Easter because of the ridiculous airfare and my mother was shouting that I shouldn’t have done so because I work in a bank. I told her that times are hard and we are all managing,” she decried.
For Ezemdi Umeadi, a business executive and regular traveller for Christmas and New Year celebrations, Easter is usually out of it for many even when the economy was booming because it is not far from last Christmas where people spent a lot, with some yet to recover.
“We business people plan our expenses so that we don’t spend our capital.
“You cannot travel all the time because each time you travel you spend more than you planned. So also celebrations. You celebrate when it is very necessary and Easter celebration is not very necessary for me,” he said.
At the terminals of some popular transport companies in Lagos, it is normal activity as Easter is not considered peak business season, rather off cycle.
“Easter is not a big season for travel. You can see for yourself, no rush by passengers here. But we wish it would be and we will deploy more buses if passenger traffic increases,” Kenneth Okere, a bus terminal manager, said.
He also confessed that even during the last Christmas season, many couldn’t travel because of the high fare, which he blamed on the high cost of new buses, spare parts, petrol and government taxes.
“Even if many want to travel this Easter, they will consider the cost, which is a bit high too, at least N70,000 return ticket,” he said.
While the high transport is hindering many from travelling these days, including this Easter, Linus Agada, a public servant, decried that it is even more expensive to travel on a private car due to the high cost of servicing, spare parts, petrol and renewing vehicle particulars.
“The harsh economy has leveled many Nigerians. We have a few real big men now because life is more expensive to maintain.
“In a country where people barely feed, celebration is out of it. So, it is no surprise that people are indifferent to Easter celebration now, they are acting based on the realities on ground; no money,” Agada said.
On her part, Bukola Ogunseinde, a civil servant, confessed that what she enjoys is the holidays, from Ramadan to Easter and not the celebrations because there is no money to fly to Seychelles, her dream holiday destination.
“At least, I will enjoy the holidays. This Easter, I am going to rest well, no shopping and outing because my house rent is almost due. But if I have money, I would rather jet out to Seychelles for holiday this Easter. It is visa-free and cheaper than Ghana,” she disclosed.
Apart from Easter, in recent times, many Nigerians have observed other celebrations in low key due to the harsh economic realities.
According to observers, the low key celebration is a survival approach to the harsh economy, as many bills usually pile up after each celebration, which must be paid, from house rent, tuition fees to medical bills.
