The usual complaint now from almost everybody is ‘there is no money’. No matter what your conversation, it usually goes back to how things are getting more expensive and how people are suffering.
Then they say as if to console themselves, “Almost everybody is feeling the pinch. We should just pray.”
Also, some would say that the economic hardship is all over the world, “even Western countries because of the war in Ukraine.”
Some would however argue that what they know is what they are suffering so trying to soften their condition by that generalisation does not make their suffering any less.
For months there has been fuel scarcity and transport fares have increased. If you complain the drivers would tell you that they buy a liter of petrol at N200 or thereabout and if it is at the black market that many private car owners patronise it is N300- N350 per litre.
Somebody who lives in the suburb of Abuja and whose salary is N35,000 spends N400 in a bus to come to work. After he drops from the bus, he enters another vehicle at N150-N200, he drops somewhere along and treks the rest of the distance, which is a bit long.
After work he pays the same or more, as some drivers capitalise on the evening hour rush and increase the fare. On the occasion he follows somebody who has a car it is a relief, at least he has saved some money to feed his four children.
There are some people that are said to be always asking people to lend them some money even though they earn a salary, but if it is this kind of salary for a man with a wife and children you have to excuse him. That is why you see all kinds of trade from workers to augment their salary. Some sell clothes, food items, electronics and so on.
Among the low income earners, those that give their all by dedicating their time to work are the ones that suffer.
I heard one low income earner scream, “What is my business with meat? I don’t even buy it. When I have money I buy fish for the children.”
This is indeed very sad that you earn ‘salary’, which at least puts you among those to be envied by those that don’t have a job, yet you cannot afford to buy meat for your family.
What about eggs, milk and treats like sweets and chocolate? These are definitely beyond such a man.
And for that matter even bread that is thought to be for everybody is expensive now. People like bread because it is an easy meal. It is easy for breakfast. I remember that many years ago when bread became expensive some tried to encourage koko da kosai (pap and akara). Some however said koko da kosai was difficult to make in the morning for children to take before they go to school.
First you have to go and buy the kosai even if you make the koko at home and it is not convenient.
So good old bread is taken from many people’s tables presently and the children have to be given something for breakfast before going to school
Parents are advised to give eggs, fish, meat, milk, fruits and vegetables to their children, though sometimes alternatives are given for those that cannot afford them, such as millet mixed with groundnut and soya beans made into cereal. This also helps children with malnutrition.
As an aside, many years ago one man said he always worked hard to be able to afford the type of food he was used to eating since he was a child.
“I don’t want to fall from that standard, it is something I just have to do,” he insisted.
In any case if the parents can do without and sacrifice for their children, the children need nutritious food for their growth and wellbeing.
A friend is fond of saying, “there is no diet,” if she sees some children or women suffering because of lack of food.
Definitely there is no balanced diet for the people that live in want since their earnings could hardly buy them the basics of maize, gari and so on. Their own problem is how to put something in their stomach so don’t make the mistake of teaching them about a balanced diet that includes meat, egg and milk.
They too like those things and would like to give to their children if they could afford them, but since they could not, at least their children don’t cry of hunger by what they could afford.
Therefore, they survive on their own diet.
