Joy Ezeilo, a distinguished Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has expressed dismay over the exorbitant cost of flight tickets to Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, where she had hoped to witness the final match of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) live. She shared her disappointment, revealing that the price of the ticket, estimated at over N2.1 million, took her aback,Daily Trust reports.
According to reports from Daily Trust, there has been widespread dissatisfaction with the steep airfares to Abidjan, despite its proximity as a West African nation reachable in less than one hour and thirty minutes from Lagos.
Several airlines, including Nigeria’s Air Peace, Asky, and Air Côte d’Ivoire, operate flights to Abidjan.
The high cost of tickets to the neighboring country has elicited criticism from many Nigerians, considering the relatively short distance involved.
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Expressing her concerns on her social media platform, Joy Ezeilo, known as X Handle (formerly Twitter), lamented that the quoted N2.1 million for a return airfare to Abidjan equates to her five-month salary as a Professor of Law.
In her post, she wrote: “I had envisioned attending AFCON 2024 live and inquired about flights to Abidjan to support our Super Eagles in the finals. Given the proximity of Ivory Coast, I presumed the cost wouldn’t be exorbitant. However, my long-standing travel agent shocked me with a price quotation of N2,183,000.00.”
“After careful calculation, I realized that purchasing one return ticket to a neighboring West African country would require saving up my earnings from five months of work as a Professor of Law.”
“This stark reality reflects the current economic challenges. Please spare me the conversion to US dollars; it only exacerbates the disheartening reality. Such circumstances could deter the aspirations of our bright young minds, steering them away from academia towards political pursuits.”
“As an alternative plan, I intend to cut down on expenses. I have opted to recharge my DSTV for N19,800 and purchase twenty litres of fuel for power generation due to erratic electricity supply during the Semifinals. Watching the match is a necessity for me, offering a brief respite from Nigeria’s myriad issues.”
“I wish to inform those seeking assistance that despite my previous posts about unpaid salaries, my recently received income has been committed to overdue debts. I urge patience, hopeful for resolution of the 8-month ASUU strike arrears or an improved wage agreement between NLC and FGN. The struggle persists! Best wishes to our Super Eagles; you remain in my thoughts and prayers!”
