What holds at fun spots this Sallah?

As the season of Ramadan ends and Sallah day dawns, Nigerians may not help but wonder what the celebrations would be like, for obvious reasons– the Boko Haram insurgency, and in its wake, the string of bomb blasts, the latest being that of Kaduna on Wednesday, which claimed more than 80 innocent lives. Outside the […]

As the season of Ramadan ends and Sallah day dawns, Nigerians may not help but wonder what the celebrations would be like, for obvious reasons– the Boko Haram insurgency, and in its wake, the string of bomb blasts, the latest being that of Kaduna on Wednesday, which claimed more than 80 innocent lives.
Outside the Transcorp Hilton, a prestigious hotel located in the central area of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, a gathering which can arguably be said to have garnered world attention continues to take place, tagging the vicinity ‘The Bring Back Our Girls campaign spot,’ where groups and relatives of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram more than a hundred days ago converge. Their rallying point is the Unity Fountain, where speeches are continuously made, with religious groups reiterating the ungodliness of the unceasing acts of terrorism ravaging Africa’s most populous country. Right there, vans owned by different television stations remain parked with the press fanning over one activity or the other, all at the Unity Fountain.
Days to Sallah, just outside the premises of the government owned Millenium Park, a neighbour to Unity Fountain, a group of young men and women stand in a group across the road from where the agitators are. They tear new packages, revealing brand new T-shirts with the words STOP TERRORISM, written boldly on them. Thus, they wear the words boldly.
The proximity of Unity Fountain to Millenium Park, a fun zone where many Abuja residents converge to relax with friends and family uncovers a sad irony: The security detail along the road where these Chibok Girls’ agitators rally is handsome, with a mix of the police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps at the ready, while at the gates of the park, a humble number of security men keep watch with other staff responsible for the maintenance of the facility going about their duties within its premises.
“By one or two o clock this afternoon, customers would start trouping in, in their numbers,” a security man offers. He is not wrong, aside off festive seasons, the park gathers a crowd with children bouncing on and off balloons and other facilities moved into its grounds to enrich the festive experience.
Inside, a woman watches as her two children ride on their bicycles. They roam the park and seem to have been there for quite a while. Here and there, one or two people linger on a bench, feet, shifting on very green and nicely cut grasses, while a little distance away water slaps against rocks below the Park Bridge. This is where Eunice Yohanna seats awaiting her date’s arrival.
“I know people have been warned to keep away from crowded places, but my life is in God’s hands,” she says courageously. Although a Christian, she states: “On Sallah day I will be here to have fun.”
Close to Millenium Park is another place to watch the birds chirp. It is the Chescon Park Maitama, vacant, awaiting happy feet of both the young and old that would be celebrating Sallah.
Off the Julius Berger junction, a drive along Airport Road points one to Wonderland, an amusement park known for its variety of fun zones, with joy and scary ride facilities. This is where children could be seen and heard from across the road screaming as they ride the air in one of its incredible machines. But before the celebrations, here is quiet too, except for a few families with trotting children, probably there to enjoy afree promo indicating free entry all through the Ramadan period.
But while fun lovers brace themselves for the D-day, many of such places are aware of the security challenges confronting the country and so are eager to reassure that they have what it takes to keep fun within their premises and shove out any possible security threat.
“We have made special arrangements for this Sallah celebration,” Paul Oko, Wonderland’s personnel manager and head of operations, tells Weekly Trust. “We are anticipating a good turn-out. Due to the security situation, Wonderland has put in place an efficient security apparatus to ensure that customers have a happy Sallah celebration here.”