Yuletide: Abuja residents defy hardship, throng recreational centres

Parks, Gardens and different leisure centres within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hosted giant numbers of enjoyable seekers in celebration of yuletide regardless of the perceived financial downturn.

The Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) studies that enjoyable seekers from totally different components of the FCT on Boxing Day trooped to the favored Millennium Park, Central Park and others to have fun the season.

Different centres visited by NAN included Magic Land Amusement Park and the Abuja Christmas Village in Life Camp, with enjoyable seekers seen in giant clusters having fun with themselves with their households.

A few of them who spoke with NAN stated they didn’t enable the present hardship to dampen their enthusiasm for his or her typical Christmas enjoyable as they’ve toiled all yr and wanted to unwind.

Monday Adamu, who got here to the Millennium Park along with his household, stated staying at dwelling all through the vacations was boring and so they wanted a relaxed setting from dwelling.

“The nation is difficult, however I simply have to do that for my household as a result of the vacation is a really lengthy one and my youngsters are at dwelling.

“We normally come right here throughout Easter or Christmas however we couldn’t come throughout Easter, so I promised my household that I’ll carry them this season.

“You do not want to have some huge cash to come back right here; you simply carry your meals, however not like earlier than, I had to purchase gas of N20,000 in my automobile to come back right here this time,” he stated.

One other enjoyable seeker, who merely launched himself as ‘Mr Ekene’, stated coming to the park was a greater choice to paying an enormous quantity for transportation to his village through the yuletide.

“My brother, I feel my case is identical with many individuals right here and that’s the reason all over the place is stuffed up like by no means earlier than.

“How are you going to pay N25,000 to N30,000 to the East simply to your transport after which occasions that by 4 individuals in your loved ones earlier than you’ll purchase garments and meals?

“So many people determined to not go to the village this time round and now we have to carry our households right here as a result of Christmas could be celebrated anyplace,” he stated.

At Central Park, Celilia Phillips, who got here together with her two youngsters, stated coming to such a spot was a sacrifice wanted to make family members completely satisfied within the season.

“We all know issues are onerous, however Christmas comes as soon as in a yr, and also you simply have to do that as a result of the youngsters are on a protracted trip too.

“In the event you have a look at cash, you’ll solely work and never make your self completely satisfied, so we determined to exit and I feel this place will not be dangerous in any respect.

“Issues are actually dangerous on the market, however we hope subsequent yr can be higher in order that Nigerians can actually be completely satisfied,” she stated.

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NAN studies that the big inflow of enjoyable seekers additionally inspired distributors and photographers to throng the leisure centres for enterprise.

On the Abuja Christmas Village, an ice cream and drinks vendor, who declined to say her title, stated patronage for the day was unusually excessive, not like the earlier Boxing Day within the FCT.

(NAN)