The Christmas vacation period, which occurs at the end of the year, is often a time for families to travel to their ancestral villages for different reasons. In Nigeria, during this festive season, most people from the urban communities often travel to the rural communities for diverse reasons. For some, it is a time for performing rituals associated with cleansing and re-strengthening age-old family ties and honoring and remembering family ancestors. For others, it is for pleasure: spending quality time with loved ones, savoring traditional dishes, playing traditional sports, visiting family ancestral homes, and taking part in festive activities, themes that define their unique heritage.
However, irrespective of the motives, the season remains a time when fun, joy, new learning, and wonderful life experiences shared by all must be underpinned by quality safety and security processes, policies, and procedures, especially when a member of the family is a first-time visitor and in light of the security situation in Nigeria of today. For the visiting families, especially the urban dwellers, the rustic nature of the rural landscape, its unique attractions, and the mostly unfamiliar environment might pose unprecedented risk scenarios in terms of their personal safety and security.
These are a few tips and precautions that families can take as they partake in the festivities with family and friends either they are visiting their home countries from the diaspora or their ancestral villages in Nigeria.
Before the visit, be sure to:
- Update all vaccinations and obtain necessary medications
- Register with your embassy if traveling from abroad
- Prepare a detailed itinerary and share it with trusted family members
- Create a family emergency plan with local contact numbers
- Consider getting comprehensive travel insurance
- Pack basic first-aid supplies and any prescription medications
- Bring insect repellent and bed nets for malaria prevention
- Ensure children understand food and water safety rules
- Keep emergency medical contacts handy, including local hospitals
- Consider carrying a basic water filtration system
- Teach children basic greetings in local languages
- Discuss cultural expectations and appropriate behavior
- Explain different living conditions they might encounter
- Practice proper hand washing and hygiene routines
- Prepare them for possible power outages and limited internet
During the visit, ensure you:
- Use trusted transportation services
- Avoid night travel between cities or villages
- Keep valuables secure and not visible during transit
- Consider hiring known local drivers for the duration of your stay
- Always have a backup plan for transportation
On every activity day, plan and:
- Ensure children always have identification on them. This can prevent them from being identified easily when in bad situations. Their national ID cards, voter’s card, school ID card etc. can be very useful in this instance.
- Create a buddy system – no child should be alone
- Establish clear boundaries for where children can go
- Teach children emergency phone numbers and meeting points
- Keep emergency cash in multiple safe locations
Children must be socially aware and understand how to read body language, respect elders, stay cautious, understand dress codes for different settings, understand local customs and expectations and stay curious so they can ask questions when unsure about anything.
While safety is paramount, it’s essential to balance caution with enjoyment so that the whole essence of the visit is not lost. Children should be encouraged to participate in age-appropriate activities and family gatherings/traditional ceremonies, learn about their heritage through stories from elders, try local foods in safe and hygienic settings while building relationships with cousins and relatives.
Finally, never forget to document the whole experience in pictures and videos because what is holiday without memories that you can look back on and laugh over even decades after!
Have a beautiful celebration and safe travels!
