The Common Man in Nigeria Economy

I walked into a grocery store and found a lady lamenting.

She was lamenting over the rate at which prices of commodities skyrocket daily. She shared her experience at the market. She had gone into the market with a list of 24 items to buy.

She got to the first store to buy beverages that can be prepared quickly for her kids who always leave for school very early in the morning. Morever, they need not heavy foods, but light foods by that time of the day. 

The lady read out the list of beverages she needed, pulled out her purse from her underarm and took out five pieces of N1000 note which she handed over to the seller. The seller counted the money and told her that it is short by N1550. Surprised, the lady looked at the seller and asked "Why?", and she replied "The prices of these beverages have increased. They are no longer what they used to be. It's the same for every other item and service in the market. Prices skyrocket everyday".

The lady wasn't going to buy that lie. Or so she thought. She couldn't imagine that the same items she bought two weeks ago could have increased this much. So she left to check other stores. Unfortunately, the story was the same everywhere. In fact some stores sold them a little more costly than others.

"Well, the kids need these beverages. I may as well shut my eyes to the price increment and get them", the lady said to herself. She got them from one of the stores that sold less costly and proceeded to another store to get the next set of items.

At the store she mentioned all the cassava products she needed to the seller. The seller packaged them and handed them over to the lady. The lady asked her how much they cost and the seller said N9000 giving the same reasons for the hype of prices as the other sellers. The lady was more flabbergasted this time. She had bought these same things just two weeks ago and they costed N7500. So, how can the prices cost this much now. She checked other stores and confirmed the increment, thus, she bought from one of them.

By now the lady knew that she had spent way above budget, so she stood by a corner and began to cancel items on her list that are not a priority at the moment- new school bags for Zara and Ben, new pair of socks for Dayo, new tooth brushes for the three, new undies for Zara and Ben, and a new dress for Zara. "At least I can still patch their old school bags and dresses again. Zara can just manage with the two good undies she has. Dayo will have to wear his torn socks that way. That would teach him to take better care of his belongings. And Zara can still manage an old dress for her graduation."

The lady proceeded to the next store to buy exercise books, textbooks and stationeries for her kids. After selecting all she needed she moved over to the counter to pay. "Madam, everything costs N11,200", the sales rep said. "Pardon!", the lady was amazed. "Ma, I said all items you have placed before me costs N11,200 only", the sales rep repeated. "Only? Did you just say only? Do you have any idea as to how much I have already spent today, and yet could not get all that my kids need? And you dare to tell me only?", the lady retorted. "Oh, I apologize madam. I had no idea what you've been through. I didn't mean it that way though.", the sales rep stuttered. "Alright. Can I get a discount please?, the lady muttered. "I'm sorry madam, this store has a fixed price on items, and they are the cheapest you can get anywhere", the sales rep replied. "I know they are the cheapest and that's why I'm here. I mean, when did these things get this expensive, these textbooks used to cost N1,000", she retorted. "Well, I'm sorry ma, but that was that time. Now, the manufacturers tell us that they buy from one of the best and cheapest international market. The price of dollar has gone up and so are the prices of materials. Ma, you should know by now that everything in the market increases every two days. I would advice that you buy whatever you need in large quantity now because the prices of commodities do not seem in a hurry to normalize any time soon."

 'This one does not understand what I had to go through to get this kobo to spend. I was so happy that my kids would have new things to wear after such a long time. They have been putting on patched clothes and school bags that a teacher in school had to sponsor their new school uniforms and advised me to at least buy them new school bags. I was so happy that their uniforms have been taken off the list of my burdens. The kids have never had complete set of textbooks. I had only bought English, Mathematics, Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning textbooks for them. For years they have borrowed textbooks from their school mates who are our neighbours to do their assignments. While others did assignments in their workbooks, they did theirs in an exercise book I bought for them. Their teachers had excused them only after I pleaded ceaselessly that I would buy the textbooks and workbooks for my kids soon. I had boasted to their teachers when I went to pick my kids from school last week that my kids would be looking admirable by the following week. I did extra work on the farm settlement for 3 consecutive months just to be able to get them all of this, and yet my hardwork wasn't enough. What do I tell the teachers now? How would I even look at their faces when I come to drop off and pick the kids? I told the kids I would get them new stuff today and they were so excited, so how do I disappoint them now?', the lady was deep in thought when the sales rep tapped her shoulder. 

"Yes. Any discount?", she enquired again. "No ma.", the sales rep said sadly. The lady picked up other textbooks, save English and Mathematics and returned them to the shelf. She paid for the rest and received a change of N300. She looked back and forth from the change in her hands to the sales rep. The sales rep asked "What is the matter madam?". The lady said nothing. As the sales rep handed over the goods to her, tears dropped down the lady's cheeks. Before the sales rep could offer a word of comfort to her, the lady muttered "Thanks" and left the store hurriedly. 

As the lady got to the bus stop she didn't know what to do. The money she had in her hands for her transport fare was less than what she needed. She needed at least N200 more. She had seen people in bus stops plead for money to pay their transport fares before. People were always skeptical about giving such persons money because most of them had used that only as a means to extort money from people. Most of the stranded people had to stand under the sun for very long hours before finding someone willing to spare. Despite having those negative feelings concerning those who claim to be stranded, she had given to a few leaving them to be judged by God. Right now she is in the same shoes, but doesn't have the courage to do the same.

With all the loads she had in her hands, she started to walk home. Home was miles away, but she had no choice. Rather, she settled for that. She made lots of stops on the way because her hands ached and the sun was too much. She had walked halfway before a car pulled up in front of her and she heard her neighbour's voice "Get in, Mama Dayo". She was so excited that she quickly dashed into the car and relaxed her muscles before remembering that she had not greeted her God sent human saviour. 

"Ah... Pardon me, Ms. Love. Good day to you. Thanks so much for coming to save me from this stress." she thanked. "It's my pleasure. But, why were you on foot instead of a shuttle?" Ms. Love questioned. "Oh dear, it's a long story. I'll explain when we get home" she replied.

The lady remembered that her kids will be disappointed, thus, she asked Ms. Love to please pull over at a store along the road so she would get sweets and icecream for her kids with the money she had in her hands. "At least, these will pacify them", she said.

This is Mama Dayo's experience. There are lots of Nigerians with similar and more pathetic experiences such as this.

I shake my head in agony for what most Nigerians are going through at this time when prices of commodities and services escalate on daily basis.  This brings a question to the mind of every struggling Nigerian "Where are we headed to as a nation? Are we progressing or regressing? What will become of us in few years time?" .

It is becoming most difficult to feed and stay in school because of the hike in prices. Inflation and impoverishment, has become the new status of Nigerian economy. People barely survive daily and things are not getting any better. Rather, everything is getting worse. Thieves on the streets are excused of their criminal behaviour owing to the poor state of the economy. Survival in Nigeria is of the fittest. Nigeria is going rapidly down the drain and is about to be flushed. Right now, the only reliable help that Nigerians seek and can get is from God.

What are our leaders doing? More Nigerians are giving up on the country everyday. They no longer believe in Nigeria. Much more than the ordinary citizen on the street, our leaders do not believe in the existence of Nigeria. Nigeria has got a bunch of corrupt individuals who paved their way at all cost to gain control of governmental seats with the main intent of exploiting Nigeria and enriching themselves.

"So, my question, how do we salvage this country from economic depredation?"