AFCON 2023 Adventure: Inside the Journey of a Football Fan and Travel Enthusiast

Introduction:

In a revealing interview, Jarus, our CEO known for his passions for football and travel, shares his captivating journey to Ivory Coast for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). Having previously traveled to Ivory Coast to watch the initial stages of the match, his story is not just about the game but also about his love for exploring new cultures and experiences. From promising to return for the semi-finals if Nigeria qualifies, to immersing himself in the vibrant streets of Abidjan, Jarus’ adventure is a testament to the thrill of travel and the unifying power of sports.

1. The Promise and the Journey:

Question: You traveled to Cote D’Ivoire to watch the initial stages of the AFCON. Did you always know you would go back to watch the later matches? And did Nigeria qualifying for the semis influence this decision?

Answer: Yes, when I was leaving Abidjan after the second group stage match, I promised to go back if Nigeria got to the semi-final. I couldn’t spend the whole one month in Abidjan. I wasn’t sure Nigeria would get to the semi-final given the way we played in our first two matches. But I still made the promise nonetheless. Interestingly, a number of my social media followers reminded me of the promise when Nigeria got to the quarter-final. Of course, I did not forget in the first place.

2. A Taste of Ivory Coast:

Question: What was your favorite Ivorian dish that you tried during your trip? Can you describe the flavors and ingredients?

Answer: The best local dish I had was rice with soup made with giant tilapia fish. I don’t know the local name of the food. I used to go and have it at a restaurant around Carrefour Bluetooth area in Abidjan. I used to take a taxi for 4,000 CFA to go to the place.

3. Overcoming Language Barriers:

Question: How did you navigate the language barrier during your time in Ivory Coast? Did you pick up any local phrases or words?

Answer: It was difficult. Apart from my hotel staff and a couple of people I met, I didn’t meet many people who could converse in English, but I used Google Translate, and it was helpful. I would just type the sentence in English, and the Google platform on my phone would translate to French, and I would show the other party who would also read and type the response in English, which the platform translated to English for me.

4. Cultural Discoveries:

Question: Were there any particular local customs or traditions that you found interesting or different from what you’re used to?

Answer: Women tying wrapper to semi-formal places like shopping malls was a culture shock. You’re unlikely to see an adult female tying a wrapper at a place like Ikeja Mall in Lagos.

5. Contrasting Urban Experiences:

Question: How would you compare the traffic, infrastructure, and overall urban atmosphere of Abidjan to that of Lagos?

Answer: Abidjan is a fine city. There is more respect for traffic lights. I never saw anyone violate a traffic light throughout my stay. They also have traffic congestion in some areas but not near what we see in Lagos. They have good road infrastructure, and I saw a lot of efforts in urban renewal. I also saw old places like Adjame. Most strikingly, they have stable electricity. A nice urban atmosphere.

6. The Quest for the Final Ticket:

Question: Can you tell us more about the challenges you faced in obtaining a ticket for the final match? How did you eventually secure one?

Answer: It was tough. All the people I contacted could not get for me. My usual “plug” for previous matches could not get for me. I had to pay a very huge sum of money to get a ticket on the eve of the match.

7. The Final Moments:

Question: Did you stay to watch the closing ceremony? What was it like to be among a crowd of jubilant Ivorians despite Nigeria coming second?

Answer: I did not watch the closing ceremonies. I exited the stadium immediately after the blast of the final whistle. I was too disappointed and broken to watch any celebrations. More so, it was late into the night, and I could not wait any longer. Despite leaving the stadium at 11 pm, I still did not get to my hotel until 2 am. I have never seen such national celebrations in my life. Ivorians were so happy. It took three hours to go from the stadium to my hotel (what normally took one hour). There was serious traffic from the jubilation crowd. It was fun. The Ivorians celebrated the victory like they won the World Cup.

8. Total Cost Breakdown:

Question: Can you give an estimate of the total money spent during the trip, from flight tickets to accommodation, meals, and local transportation?

Answer: Trip 1 (Group stage)

Duration: 7 days

Flight (Air Cote D’Ivoire, Economy): I flew from Lagos to Abidjan. I booked 11 days in advance. Return ticket cost 828,000.

Hotel (2 star hotel but in an upscale area called Angre, Cocody): N700,000. I booked a 2 star hotel on booking dot com for 380,000 CFA for 7 nights. 54,286 CFA per night. That is N82,000 per night on official rates but because I didn’t get my dollar at official rate, that is over N100k per night. I booked the hotel 11 days in advance but I paid on arrival.

Airtime: I roamed, didn’t get local line. Loaded about N50,000 airtime.

Local Transport (N60,000): The hotel arranged free pick-up and drop-off for me at the airport so I did not incur any transport cost from airport to hotel and back. I paid N16,000 (8,000 CFA) for taxi to the stadium in the only game I watched. I got free ride from some Yoruba Nigerian residents from stadium to Adjame on return and spent N5,000 (2,500 CFA) to complete the journey from Adjame to my hotel in Cocody.

I also took taxi to a couple of places on non-match days, including to go play football one evening. I spent about an average of N8,000 (4,000 CFA) for transport per day on such days.

Ticket (N40,000): Ticket for one match was N40,000. Normally sold for 3000 CFA. But I bought mine for 20,000 CFA few minutes to the match on the Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea match day because I got to the venue very late and couldn’t get ticket, so I offered to buy someone’s ticket.

Feeding (N170,000): The hotel rate does not contain complimentary breakfast and they offered 4,000 CFA per breakfast but I did not use hotel breakfast option. I shopped for bread, biscuits, yoghurt, cashew nuts, butter, juices, apple, etc from nearby mall and that cost about N60,000 (30,000 CFA).

I hardly took lunch after the snacks but for dinner, I patronized a local restaurant for chicken with sides like yam or rice, and juices and water and that cost an average of N16,000 (8,000 CFA) per dinner.

The total for the first trip was about N2M.

Trip 2 (Semis and Final),

Duration also for a week, return flight ticket had increased to N1.1M. CFA-Naira exchange rate had also gone up to about 2.5. I paid N100k per night for hotel again (N700,000). I paid N800,000 for ticket for the final match. I discovered a new place to eat which required taking taxi ride. I also explored KFC food. The total cost this time around was about N3M, driven by ticket cost, increase in flight cost and Naira losing value against CFA.

Overall, I spent about N5M on the two trips.

9. Jarus Travels’ Role:

Question: What role did Jarus Travels, your travel company, play in facilitating your trip to Ivory Coast?

Answer: Jarus Travel helped with flight booking and got me a good deal.

10. Reflections and Ratings:

Question: Overall, was this an enjoyable experience? Do you think it was worth it? And How would you rate this trip compared to your other travel experiences?

Answer: It was a good experience. I found myself integrating into the local community. I made a number of new acquaintances in the neighborhood. I watched some matches at the TV viewing centers, and it was fun. However, the hotel was very expensive compared to the standard. But it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

Conclusion:

Our CEO’s journey to Ivory Coast for the AFCON was not just about football; it was a cultural immersion filled with heartfelt experiences. From taking the first trip to catch the initial stages of the match to returning for the semi-finals and then witnessing the jubilation of Ivorians against Nigeria’s loss, every moment was a testament to the beauty of travel, the power of sports and the passion it ignites in our hearts.