Information reaching us has it that some journalists have left while some are contemplating leaving Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire due to high cost of living
The journalists who came in their numbers have reduced drastically even though the Super Eagles team which they came to cover has gotten to the final of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON 2023 after defeating Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Wednesday.
According to CAF’s record, Nigeria has the highest number of journalists, over 200 but as at press time, they are less than 60. The reason for leaving is because they can no longer bear the high cost of living.
Journalists are not the only ones leaving the francophone country, some members of the Supporters Club who cannot manage the condition on ground have also left.
We gathered that some of them sleep on bare floor just to pass the night. When asked, those who spoke on anonymity said they are making the sacrifice for the love they have for their father’s land.
Meanwhile, things are very unbearable for Nigerians due to the exchange rate. For instance, a million naira is less than 450,000 cefa and it is not even available because of high demand of cefa by visitors.
Also, food is very expensive. For instance, food in Cote d’Ivoire goes for between 2,000 and 3,000 cefa except you want to eat bread without anything or garri with a piece of fish which would not satisfy you except you demand for extra.
Movement within the town is as high as 3,000 to 5,000 cefa which is equivalent to N6,000 to N10,000 for a trip.
We heard that the Supporters Club members, Mascot and others use their money for the day-to-day fueling of their vehicles to match venues. They also travelled to Bouake on Wednesday, a distance of about six hours from their base in Abidjan. Journalists on the other hand were lucky, they were taken to Bouake by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. Meanwhile, an insider in the NFF said the Federation also gives to the Supporters Club from time to time to take care of their basic needs.
Recalled that the government of Morocco sponsored about 200 journalists to AFCON 2023, to understudy the event and probably take care of them because of the high cost of living in Cote d’Ivoire. They are the next host.
It was also reported in the news that the Ghanaian government gave financial support to its journalists because of the high cost of living in Cote d’Ivoire and yet they crashed out in the first round.
The disappearance of journalists and the supporters club is not good enough. This is the time the Super Eagles need everybody’s support especially as they will be playing against the host nation in the final on Sunday.
Some are still contemplating whether to stay or not and might just be on their way home before the final except they get help from colleagues or “manna falls from heaven.”
