Jerry Doubles, a Nigerian strawberry and rabbit farmer, has visited tourism locations in 30 states in Nigeria including the FCT. The Jos-based entrepreneur in this interview, shares his travel experience and how insecurity affects tourism and why more people should venture into tourism and more.
What are some of the interesting locations you have been to?
Every location stands out as being unique and outstanding. There are some notable locations which have an all-encompassing effect on me due to the view, feeling and experience which was very staggering. I will probably give it to a few places in the country. Such places include; the warm spring in Ekiti, Erin Ijesha Waterfall in Osun, Gurara in Niger, Kurra Falls in Plateau has been very outstanding because it has 11 continuous waterfalls. I made sure I went through all 11 waterfalls.
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There are so many high Mountains in Bauchi such as Bulli. I have been to Obudu Ranch, Zuma rock, Mambilla, Plateau. The places are terrific and are mind-blowing.
Any state I go to, I tried to find a tourist site there. I have been to many places to the extent that my brain cannot recall the number of tourist sites I’ve been to especially the ones I find very intriguing and interesting.
What inspired this idea?
It’s inborn. I grew up to like it. As a child, I love seeing the world from the top. I love camera drones now because they give the view that the eyes do not normally see. When I was younger, when I climbed the mountain, I could see so many things. When my mum wants to look for me, she would look for me on the mountains as she knows that’s like my second home and I would be there for hours. One of the bad memories I had as a child was that I slipped down the mountain, I had bruises, hit my head, and this made me scared of climbing. I went back when I was healed. Travelling, moving around, hiking, were all inborn that I love doing repeatedly.
When did you decide to tour these locations?
I started in 2016. When I started, I publicized it on Facebook and through that, I got 300 people. That particular experience when I go through the pictures is just amazing, this is because I can remember bits and pieces of everything that happened especially with the people who will make me laugh and crack jokes that makes the journey a fun experience.
You usually go in groups, why is that?
Going in groups is usually the fun part of it, it’s the bedrock of the journey. If you go for trips alone, I don’t think it will be fun or exciting, the feeling will be dull. In the group, there were some in the journey that were relatively quiet but after the journey, they adjusted and became lively.
What is the most fascinating things you have encountered?
There is a mystery in every tourist site. In Plateau State, there is a spring called Puldock, over there, there’s a man who is a caretaker, if he is not consulted before visiting the place, snakes come out and bite anyone there. When he’s talking, he talks about how the waterfall was not here but there. Anyone who hears that would wonder how the waterfall moved, it was not as if a construction company moved it, but he had mystical powers to move the waterfall from where it was to where it is now. Those kinds of stories give someone goosebumps.
From your observation, what is affecting tourism in Nigeria?
What I think is affecting tourism in Nigeria is under graded tourist sites. In some other parts of the world, the tourist sites have been revamped, refurbished, maintained and constantly upgraded, but this country is not like that. During the trips, we found out that the last time the tourist sites were touched was decades ago.
For tourism to improve in Nigeria, new development needs to come in, there is a need to develop the places. If you have been to Jos where I am, the tourist sites there are an eyesore, they are terrible, dilapidated and it’s quite troubling. For instance in the Wildlife Park, they collect N200 at the gate to go in, if the place was good enough they will be collecting more and people are ready to pay. I went to Elegushi Beach in Lagos, and I found out that people pay N1000 to get in. They know the power of tourism that is why they are collecting that amount and people are paying just to get in. When we went to Elegushi, we were 11 and we paid N1000 each and also paid N200 to park our cars. When we went in, we paid for food at a high price and people were buying it, we enjoyed ourselves till 5 am and people were still there after we left.
It is just so troubling that our tourism is poor. People are looking for where to relax after going to work from Monday to Friday. Many end up with their television since there’s nothing to do outdoors during the weekend.
Do you know that in the whole of Plateau State the highest that is collected at the gate of a tourist site is N200 and that is at the Wildlife Park. At the other tourist sites, they collect N100. With that kind of amount, how much will they raise in a day?
Government cannot actually do it all by maintaining the facilities but this can be achieved through a public-private sector partnership. Imagine if I or any other tourist lover is told to maintain the park and remit a certain amount or percentage to the government, do you know that we will organise an event at the park every day while at the same time ensuring the place looks clean, glossy and attractive. Do you know that the government does not want to do this, that is why the place is looking terrible.
Does the fear of kidnapping ever discourage you from travelling?
Fear is inevitable. The fear of kidnapping has never stopped me from delving into a journey. For all the places I have been to, I get very valid information about the place. Basically, no hassle. Although I have had fears but I have not let it stop me. I feel we are all engineers of our success. What has kept me is that everything you need is on the other side of fear. So traveling it is, all the time.
Of all the places you have been to, which three would you want to go to again and why?
Taking three places is a very difficult task to do. Being an adventure maniac, every place has its uniqueness and memories. However, I love waterfalls. The Kurra Falls is an amazing waterfall that I love and I have been there a dozen times and I never get weary going there again and again. In fact, I love making a camp under the waterfall. I did the same camp in Farin Ruwa in Nasarawa State. It’s the first waterfall that gives me goosebumps. Gurara is a very angry waterfall and it gives that “oh my God feeling.” Erin Ijesha waterfall is amazing.
These four are very amazing, they will blow your mind continuously and I would love to be at these four places at the same time if it’s possible to savour and consume all the pleasures that comes with being with nature.
Aside from the waterfalls, there are dozens of other land formations that are amazing such as the Isheri Hills that are freaking fascinating too. There are many other mind-blowing stone creations too.
What are those places you still wish to visit and what’s making you not want to go?
There is no place that I don’t want to re-visit. If there’s anything that will make me not go to the nooks, then it is insecurity. When I went to Borno State, I wanted to visit Buga but couldn’t because that’s a Boko haram infested place. Nonetheless, I don’t think there is any place I would not want to go. Apart from insecurity in the country, there is no other place I wouldn’t want to go.
What advice would you give those who are yet explore Nigeria’s beautiful tourism sites?
Get out of your comfort zone and explore, move around. The thing about tourism is that, there is no book that can enunciate the experience that one feels in tourist sites. No matter what I write about tourist sites, it is 0.1 percent of what will happen if you go there yourself.
