Adventure or Safety? My Dilemma with Solo Travel in Nigeria

Traveling has always been something I loved doing right from my teenage age. I once mentioned that so far, I have travelled to 16 states within my country. That's how adventurous I am. I love how travelling exposes me to new places and cultures and the good people it connects me with.

When you talk of creating nice memories, travelling has made me achieve that in the past, but when it comes to taking a solo trip across my country now, it's actually a mixed feeling. Yea, it's a mixed feeling because a part of me is happy because I will enjoy an adventure, while another part of me is scared of being a victim of insecurity challenges within my country these days.

Thinking of travelling alone is enough to be scared due to the bad happenings in my country—not that I don't love traveling per se, but a lot of factors need to be considered. Life has no spare and, more reason I should be conscious of my decision.Nigeria is a beautiful country blessed with diverse culture with lovely and lively cities; no doubt you will have a great experience with a solo trip, which is not negotiable.

I remember the time I travelled to Plateau State for the first time. It was a whole lot of experience exploring the northern part and learning about their culture and languages. That road trip to the plateau lasted for one week, and the experience was quite refreshing. However, as much as I love adventure, I won't consider a solo trip in my country currently. I won't even process the info, seeing how kidnapping activities are happening here and there. Even the rural areas are not left out these days. These evil people target some routes and kidnap a full bus filled with people and start calling for millions of naira for ransom.

Last year, my mum too was kidnapped on her way travelling to Jos to see my elder brother. I nearly died and resurrected. A simple journey turned into chaos when their vehicle developed a fault. A stop by to fix their tyre, those kidnappers attacked them. According to the stories we heard after God rescued my mom from their hands, that particular route has been their den. My mum suffered emotional trauma, and to date she has refused to travel anywhere again.

The situation is not funny over here, and I won't risk it for a solo trip no matter how fun and exciting it promises to be.

Solo travelling can give me ample time for personal reflection; it could give me a better opportunity to think deeply about my goals, spiritual growth, and even self-discovery, but for now, it's a no-go for me considering the happenings in my country. Maybe someday when the atmosphere feels safer, I may consider it with proper planning. I believe whatever we set our mind to achieve is possible.

This post is in response to the #Hive Learners community prompt on the topic titled, A SOLO TRIP.

The images are from Canva.