Is Solo Travel in Nigeria Brave or Risky?

Traveling has been my hobby for years; in fact, I've nurtured it since I was a child, and like I stated in one of my write-ups years ago, that was influenced by my dad. Even last week I remember writing traveling as one thing I'll certainly embark on during my retirement days from service. So when a question about traveling actually arises, it's always exciting for me to talk about it. So in light of that, I'd love to respond to this week's prompt that asked about if I'll be ready to embark on a solo trip around the country; alongside this, I'll be talking about different other things that revolve around this subject matter.

So going straight to the point, will I love to embark on a solo travel around the state? My answer is a definite yes, and the reason for that isn't far-fetched. As you can see from my writing above, you'll realize traveling is something I enjoy doing, and through the years I've been to 18 of the 36 states we have in Nigeria. So an opportunity to visit every state once again alongside the ones I've not visited before would be a dream come true for me. So yes, I'll be embarking on it. The only concern that somewhat raised an eyebrow for me is the solo part of the journey. The reason it's a concern is because traveling with others can be fun and entertaining, unlike how solo traveling might be somewhat boring when you're alone driving in the car.

However, regardless of how boring solo traveling might be, I'm ready to go ahead with the journey because it's an opportunity to do something I love, so yes, I'll be embarking on it. After all, the new places I'll be seeing and the new culture, people, and the like I'll be coming across will be entertainment and will fill the void of having others around, and that's why I don't think being alone would be much of a concern. What I'm more concerned about is my safety, especially in light of our country's recent state of insecurity and the rise of kidnapping, banditry, and the like, which has made people reduce the rate at which they travel by road so as not to be ambushed on the way.

The insecurity challenges are big, but they can make me abstain from embarking on such a road trip around the country because there's no certainty of my safety, and what's the point of traveling for the fun of sightseeing, learning new things, and seeing new places when it could cost me much freedom or, far worse, my life? Putting that in might just state that it's a big concern, and I'm not ready to take that risk at all. I remember just about a year ago my brother was kidnapped while traveling between Ekiti and Kwara states. I remember how terrifying it was knowing anything could happen to him, so with that in mind, I'll just put aside my love for traveling for my own safety.

Maybe in the near future if we've been able to curb the insecurity issues we're currently having, then I'll be bold enough to travel around the country like I love to do, but until then, it's a no-no for me, knowing that my life would be at risk if I embark on such.

All photos are mine.