Jubilian Ngaruwa (JubiTrip), in this exclusive interview with Jumia Travel Nigeria, talks about her exciting adventure across seven cities in the country in 14 days by train. She shares some details of the trip, talks about some of her fun and challenging experiences and eventually, based on her adventure, gives some sound advice to the government and other travelers or travelers on tourism in Nigeria. Enjoy!

Please tell us a little about yourself, your name and what inspired you to become a Travel Documentary Content Creator?

My name is Jubilian Ngaruwa. I am from Delta state. I am a travel writer who loves the creative world, loves to travel and tell stories. In 2015, I started writing for Hangout Nigeria. I would visit places and write reviews about them; it was from doing that that I developed an interest in travel documentary content creation. I have a vlog on youtube, Jubtrip, where I share some of my content. My interest in travel, love for creativity and love for motion picture inspired and continues to inspire me to create travel content.

You recently finished a train trip to 7 cities in 14 days, please tell us more about that? What inspired you to do it? And why did you decide to travel by train?

On the 26th September, 2017, I decided to travel by train from Lagos to Ibadan, then to Oshogbo, Kaduna, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Enugu and back to Lagos. I traveled by train because I always wanted to. My inspiration for this trip actually came from wanting to do something memorable for my birthday, so a train trip across 7 cities seemed like a great way to make that happen, especially because it was something I had never done before. So when I had laid down the plan, I saved up, took a leave from work and was on my way. I would actually have loved to go to more cities but I was restricted to only the cities that have train routes.

Something I would also like to add relating to the planning of this trip is that, when I had made up mind that this train trip was what I wanted to do, I actually contacted some travel agents for support but they turned me down on the basis of not having a reason to support me because travel by train was not a popular choice for travelers. I didn’t let this bring me down however, and I continued with my plans determined to see it to fruition even if that meant financing it myself.

Can you share some details of the trip? Did you travel alone, with someone or with a group of people? Please share how you were able to accommodate all your activities in only 14 days?

I didn’t go alone, I went with a camera guy because I needed someone to help document the experience. As part of my preparation for the trip, I contacted ‘Waka With Debbie’ for some information. I also contacted a geographer, who helped me draw a map with the cities and train routes that I would need. The geographer was really helpful, I can say it was her effort that practically made the trip possible because everything she put in the map was very accurate, even down to the time of arrival of the trains at the station. Additionally, on my own, I made some inquiries from the railway corporation in Lagos on the train movement (which included the time of arrival at the station amongst other things) for Lagos and outside Lagos. I also asked for confirmation on the states in the country that had train stations and routes. On the trip, I spent a day exploring each city before moving on to the next that was how I was able to accommodate the activities I planned to explore on the trip.

Still on your train trip, what were some of the things you did or activities you enjoyed at those cities? Where did you visit in those cities and why?

I started my trip in Lagos and in Lagos I first visited the Kalakuta Museum and then the Nigerian Railway Corporation Museum at Ebutte Metta to officially launch the trip with about 13 people, including myself and the camera man. From Lagos Iddo, I took a train to Ibadan. In Ibadan, I visited the Agodi Gardens and then the Ibadan zoo. But I must that I was very impressed with the Ibadan zoo, it was very organized, the animals were healthy, in good condition and the place was well maintained. In fact, I was so impressed with the state of things that I wondered if it was privately owned. After Ibadan I went, by bus, to Oshogbo because there is no train from Ibadan to Oshogbo.

At Oshogbo, I visited the Erin Ijesha waterfall and the Osun-Oshogbo Sacred Groove. I stayed at a hotel in Oshogbo while I was there. Typically, if I didn’t have a friend in the city to help with accommodation, I would stay in a hotel. After Oshogbo, the next city I was to go to was Kaduna. The journey from Oshogbo to Kaduna was a very long one. First, I waited at the train station for the train’s arrival for almost 26hours. I actually slept there waiting for the train. The reason given for the delay was that the train got damaged on the road. Apparently, this delay is nothing new as the train is already known for getting damaged along the way. I remember when I told an attendant at the station that I was going to Kaduna from Oshogbo (I was asking for the expected time of arrival), the attendant laughed and actually told me that if I got there in 6 days I should be grateful to God.

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True to the words of this attendant, I spent 5 days on my way to Kaduna because the train kept stopping. Only one train head was carrying 16 coaches, it was no wonder that aside being slow the train kept having issues. Then about the trains, before I forget, at first when I paid for tickets for myself and the camera man, I paid for the second class coach because I wanted to experience how it was like for the sake of adventure. However, when the train finally arrived and I entered into the coach and saw how it was, I immediately went to the attendant to get an upgrade. I just thank God I was able to get one. The second class coach was worse than a pig sty and had a terrible stench. I even tried to see if I could find even if it was just one comfortable spot for me to lay my head but there was none. The place was so horrible that no human being should have to stay there for a second talk less of 5 days; in fact some of the passengers who couldn’t bear the stench of the coach would sit atop the train while in motion, which was very dangerous. I just really thought it was terrible because the second class ticket sold for N1,700 and even though it might not be so much, it’s a lot of money for those who pay for the ticket to cough up. They shouldn’t be subjected to such inhumane conditions.

I and my camera man had to sleep in the bus for the 5 day period of the trip. In some of the villages we stopped, the villagers were nice. They actually provided us with water and places to bathe. It was from this experience that I learnt how patient and kind Nigerians can be. I kept expecting the passengers to complain about the train’s constant faults or about having to sleep in the bush but instead they remained quiet. In fact, at a point when the train developed yet another fault and broke down, some of passengers volunteered to help repair the train. I guess they were already used to it. But I wasn’t. I kept worrying about my safety and thinking about what would happen if thieves or some villagers decided to attack while we were in the bus. I and my camera guy would be an easy target for them because of the camera we carried along. It was all just the grace of God.

Read the rest here (https://travel.jumia.com/blog/ng/7-cities-14-days-train-jubilian-ngaruwa-nigerian-travel-adventure-6809)

Frm lagos to kaduna 5 days?

Ah.... This con3 weak me

Whats the point of the camera man/guy if you wont share the pictures/videos ?

Travel+picture=sense

DisGuy:
Whats the point of the camera man/guy if you wont share the pictures/videos ?

Travel+picture=sense

One beer for you abeg