By Maria Famakinwa

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Solape Adegolu is a private school teacher. She described her family economic status, as prices of foodstuffs soar periodically without any hope of coming down.

She lamented that the amount she earned as a teacher in a private school was nothing, compared to her input. She added that  though she was not happy with her job, she must continue with it to support her husband.

Her words: “I am a private school teacher, My salary is very low compared to my level and my academic qualification, but I must continue with the job to support whatever my husband is bringing home from his Okada business. With the high cost of food and other commodities, we are finding it difficult to survive. Once I collect my salary, hardly will it last for three days. Debts are everywhere.

Food is another challenge for parents. The situation is terrible and the economy doesn’t favour us,” she stated.

Nigerians have continued to lament about the persistent increase in the prices of foods, as it is now becoming difficult for an average family to eat the required three square meals per day.

The standard of living of an average Nigerian is steadily declining everyday, as prices of food continue to skyrocket daily. Some parents today cannot provide the basic needs for their homes, leading to frustration and quarrels among couples.

The current realities are forcing families into hunger, as an average Nigerian who could afford to feed three times a day before is now struggling to feed twice or less, due to the economic situation in the country.

On a weekly basis, prices of food items appear to be increasing across the country. For instance, the prices of bread, rice, beans, garri, groundnut oil, fish, meat and regular beverages have experienced unimaginable hike since last year.

Nigeria is said to be the top oil exporter in Africa, which has helped to create wealth related to crude sales that account for more than half of government revenue. Yet, its citizens can barely feed. Those who spoke with The Hope attributed increase in prices of foods to low farming activities and low productivity as a result of the insecurity in the country. They appealed for urgent government intervention to avert the looming hunger.

A civil servant, Mr Wale Adeolu, disclosed that his take home pay could no longer sustain his family. He appealed to the government to address the situation.

He said: “ Coping for the past two years has become hard for me. Life has become hellish to the extent that my take home pay can no longer sustain me and my family. Though my wife supports me with her salary,  it is not enough. Children’s school fees are there with other needs.

“I borrow from bank and online financial institutions to keep the family afloat. The situation is hard. I can no longer live a decent life on my income. How does a Nigerian who earn a minimum wage of N30,000 survive with this current hike in the prices of food?

“The hunger in the land has intensified the activities of petty thieves and burglars in various communities in Akure. Hardly will a week end in my area at Oke-Ogba without a case of burglary. At times, they operate in a broad daylight, snatching cars at gun point. These are youths who should be useful for the development of the country, but take to crime because they are jobless. We need urgent solutions to poverty to address the challenges,” he said.

Another civil servant, Mr Olatunji Foluso, who explained that the current situation in the country had turned salary earners to debtors and beggars said that his salary could no longer meet his monthly expenditure as well as paying his children school fees.

Narrating how the economic situation made him to pack out of his three-bedroom apartment at Orita-Obele Estate to a nearby community, he said: “ I was leaving in Orita-Obele Estate before I packed out because my landlord increased the house rent from N150,000 to N250,000 per annum.

“With the increase, I knew that I could no longer cope. Therefore,  I relocated to a nearby community where I pay N150,000 per annum. In the midst of all these, my salary has not increased. Despite moving to a cheaper apartment, my family still finds it hard to feed well. Not many families can survive this harsh economy, the more reason government should do something fast to ameliorate the suffering of the masses.” He said.

A vulcanizer, Mr Moruf Alalade, also complained that the economic situation affected his business and hindered his role as the head of the family. The father of four who observed that he had never had it this tough in terms of providing basic needs for his family added that artisans and petty traders were the worst hit.

He said: “The level of patronage is not as it used to be. Another thing is that customers coming to pump or repair their tyres are always negotiating for low prices. In fact, some of them will prefer to pay later. If I do that, how will I feed my family?

“The whole situation is frustrating, something has to be done drastically to improve the economy and avert malnutrition. I am highly indebted as a result of  the high cost of basic needs. I have been finding it hard to cope in the last three years. Some times, I go to bed on an empty stomach. What matters most is to see that my children have something to eat, no matter how small. The situation is critical and government must do something fast,” he said.

Mama Aboy, who sells vegetables at Oja-Oba, in Akure, Ondo State capital, lamented that her husband and their three children depended on whatever she was able to bring home from the proceeds of her vegetable.

Asked why her husband was not working, she said: “ My husband was working in a construction company before he got sacked two years ago. Then, he joined okada business, but the okada is faulty. All my efforts to gather money to repair the okada have not been yielding any positive result because of family needs. Due to this challenges, we decided to take our children to a public school because we could no longer cope with the payment of school fees in private schools.

“I fear for my husband’s health because he has been thinking due to his jobless situation. He hate the fact that I am the only one sustaining the home, but there is nothing we can do for now until the okada is in good order. My only concern is how to put food on the table for my family. I am begging the government to address the problem of hunger,” she said.