Lamentations of an average Nigerian
Things aren’t looking up in Nigeria, not any more. The cost of living is hitting the roof and most Nigerian families seem to be on life support. The economy is suffocating them.
Penultimate week, the head of a family recounted to me how difficult it has been for the family. Some of the things he said were quite disturbing. Disturbing because I didn’t expect a man who has risen to the position of a Director in the civil service to be going through all that he said.
On a second thought, I took time to appropriate his monthly salary. He earns far less than N250,000 monthly. Without picking any other bill, that amount can barely fetch the family a bag of rice.
Yet, he has rent and other bills to settle every month. The poor man has since sold off the only car he had because he can no longer afford money for fuel, not to talk of the routine maintenance.
The story of this family is almost the story of most Nigerian families in today’s Nigeria. Salaries are hardly enough. Families are now taking turns to do almost everything, including going to school. Many families can’t afford all their children being in school at the same time. Is it this bad? Yes, it is. Only he who feels it, knows it.
Nigerians are not smiling in the face of the current economic situation. There are so many issues affecting the people. From economic, financial, social to health problems, Nigerians are at a crossroad as to where to go from here.
I watched a short video clip of a revered man of God talking about the current situation of the country. He stated that every current dispensation makes Nigerians miss the previous one. He stated that the present dispensation of President Bola Tinubu has made that of former President Muhammadu Buhari look better. Nigerians had looked with great hope the dispensation of former President Buhari with his I am for nobody and I am for everybody mantra. They also thought the change they had hoped for will be seen. It was almost looking like he was the best President Nigeria never had if he had not been voted into power. But alas, we all know the story. The struggle and hustle was real for the average Nigerian. Nigerians were made to generate their own electricity, find their own source of water, be their own security and much more.
Then came the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. Hardly had he been sworn in that Nigerians started seeing Renewed ‘Shege.’ He started his administration with the removal of fuel subsidy. Even though it was something that needed to be done especially with the mysteries surrounding the fuel subsidy payments, the time was just not right. He just sprang it up on Nigerians who were just trying to get out of a not-so-good situation.
Times were tough and that singular act of President Tinubu has made it even tougher. We know how it is with cost of goods and services in Nigeria. We also know how cost of transportation affects every other thing. Once the cost of transportation increases, those of goods and services also go up. You can just imagine the 500% increase in the cost of fuel price. What do you think will happen to the cost of these goods and services.
Nigerians are not smiling at all. Even with the supposed increase in minimum wage which is absolutely nothing to write home about, it’s about giving with one hand and taking it back with the other. I read in the newspaper recently where it was said that President Tinubu is asking Nigerian workers to refund some money as they were overpaid in a particular month. If it is true (which I don’t want to believe), that is man’s inhumanity to man. The supposed salary/take home pay can no longer take Nigerians home.
Families are losing their loved ones to hunger. Even feeding once a day seems to be a huge problem for some. What is actually helping some people now is the available fruits in season-mango and cashew- which they can eat by plucking from the trees. It’s as bad as that. Some can’t even wait for the fruits to get ripe just to have something in their stomach.
I had a discussion with someone who is involved in the religious fast and what he told me was heart wrenching. In his words, he said: “Fasting come meet fasting.” To say I was heart broken is to say the least.
This is the tale of many homes in Nigeria right now. The irony is that the common wealth of Nigerians is now in the hands of very few persons in the society. You see people living in opulence and affluence as the expense of the larger community of persons. It’s even so bad that potable water is a problem. We have many white elephant projects which have no direct bearing or impact on the populace. Many governments do not carry out needs assessment before embarking on projects.
An almost 65 year old child should not be at the level Nigeria is now. Pensioners are also not having it easy. While some are not still getting their due, others are getting what they earned about 10-15 years ago. Payment of gratuity to the retired persons is not even a story to be told. You can only get ‘something’ if you have the connection and you must even play ball. How do diabetic patients survive or those with life-threatening ailments. Some people are not dying because of the ailment per say, but because of inadequate resources to take care of their health.
The prices of goods and services are not smiling at all. Some families cannot even send their children to school any longer. Even for those who can, they have put their children in schools with lower fees not minding the standard. For parents who can still drive their children to school, they pack their vehicles within and around the school building until school closes. Buying foodstuffs has also become a herculean task. Able bodied men and women have become professional beggars- just to have something to eat. Accommodation is on another level as the cost of renting a house has gone up by over 100%- this is without any addition to the structure or improvement in the building.
I believe Nigerians are having it hot now. Someone who is working legitimately without any side hustle and is living on the current salary being paid cannot live a balanced life. People are being stretched beyond their limit. From all nooks and crannies of the country, people are lamenting their situations. Things need to change and soon too.
