God for us, every man for his/herself
Nigeria is our country and we have no other nation to call our own. Except for those who have dual nationality of have affiliation to other countries, Nigeria is our own and will always be our own until the coming of Christ or until the end of the world!
Just as it is with our families, no one determines where he or she will be born. We do not know the family we will be born into neither do we know the country we will originate from. We find ourselves where we are and it is our responsibility to make the best out of it.
Growing up, we always used to hear our parents talk about the good old times and how they hoped that things will get better in the future. We are in that future now and can we truly say things have become better? This question is seriously begging for answers.
While there have been technological advancements that have made life somewhat easier for the people, it is not yet uhuru as many more aspects of our lives are becoming increasingly difficult.
In Nigeria, the human being is becoming an endangered specie because of the economic hardship being passed through. Nigerians are at their wits end. However, because we are Nigerians, we will always suffer and smile.
This week is not about the moral decadence and depravity in the land, it is about economic hardships and difficulties that have pushed people beyond their limits.
Everyday brings more to reality the difficult situations people are passing through. Young, middle age, old- all have their various challenges. The cost of living in Nigeria now is astronomically high and some people are cashing in on this. While the cost of living is high, the standard has fallen. If you eat two meals in a day in the Nigeria of today, you are considered to be rich.
On a daily basis, we witness an astronomical increase in the prices of goods and services. These things have become so expensive that they are not easily affordable. You cannot use the prices of things in the market yesterday for today. If you have trust issues, you dare not send someone shopping for you. This is because you will be disappointed as what you expect will not be what you will get.
It is terrible. Since the early part of the year, the Nigerian Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and her counterpart, the Trade Union Congress, were involved in a sort of back and forth dance on what should be the acceptable minimum wage for Nigerian workers. The dance is still ongoing as there has really been no concrete agreement. While some States like Kogi ‘have started paying the minimum wage the government deems fit,’ others are yet to pay.
Granted that this has been paid, the increase in the prices of goods and services has not allowed the impact to be felt. It’s like giving somebody something with one hand and taking it back with two. The situation leaves one wondering.
Fuel prices have gone up and we know this will translate into high cost of transportation which invariably will affect other things. There is also an increase in tariffs for different things. We are being milked dry from the milkless breasts.
Many patients who are on routine drugs can no longer afford them. Diabetic, hypertensive and special care patients are really finding it difficult. Some have to outrightly stop purchasing these drugs or resort to alternatives which might not be in their best interest. In the past, my mum’s routine drugs were about N11,000 in a month. Now there is an increase of 300% to 400%. How will people survive this?
My heart goes out to those birthing children in recent times. The cost of ante-natal drugs, delivery fee, baby care, diapers, baby food, etc are going over the roof. Having children in schools is by the grace of God. Some children have had to drop out due to paucity of funds.
Most worrisome is the rising cost of goods in the market. I had a discussion with my sister recently who told me that in the month of October alone, marketers of vegetable oil increased the company price four times. You can then imagine what will happen as we draw closer to the end of the year even as the Christmas festivities draw closer.
I saw an analysis somewhere that stated that the month of October 2024 has been the worst ever since the return to democracy in 1999. The rate of inflation was 33.9%. in the year 2019, it was 11.6%, 2020- 14.2%, 2021- 16.0%, 2022- 21.1% and 2023- 27.3%. notice the astronomic increase?
Sometimes I wonder if we have price regulatory bodies in Nigeria. If we have, what are their functions? What areas do they cover? What are their Terms of Reference? Of what importance are they in the Nigerian economy if they exist?
It’s so sad that sometimes you are standing in the market to buy something and then all of a sudden, the marketer gets a call. That call is to signal a change in the price of a commodity. You are left at the mercy of the marketer. You are told to buy at that new price without which they cannot restock. Or is it the one you can get five different prices for the same good from five different shops on the same lane? God for us all, every man for his/herself.
One other aspect that gives cause for concern is the fact that while the prices of goods are increasing, the quantity and quality are dropping regularly. You cannot even get a sachet of biscuit for N50. If you can, be rest assured that you will not have more than 2 sticks of biscuit in it. What about sachet water which was sold for between N5 and N10 in the past. Today, the price is determined by your location of the temperature of the water. God help us!
In Nigeria, we only do that which suits us or is convenient for us regardless of its effect on the other person. People are living as each day comes. Government needs to do a lot. The situation is more painful when you see those being paid with the people’s common wealth living large like we are not all Nigerians. Government and politicians are rubbing it on the faces of the people that their lives do not matter as they have the nation’s wealth to do with as they like. This untold hardship has led to a lot of things that people will ordinarily not do. Everyone is now left at the mercy of what they can do for themselves.
One interesting thing I have observed is that when prices go up, they hardly come down. Once marketers hear that salaries have been paid or there is an increase in salaries, they outrightly increase the prices of goods and services. This is a problem.
How did we get here? Where did we get it wrong? Can we go back to the drawing board if it has not been broken beyond repair? Do our leaders have the political will to do the needful?Things really have to be straightened out. The value of our Naira has depreciated globally and this is not good for us. Something has to be done immediately.
