•FCT residents gatecrash parties as food prices spike
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Wwith food prices spiralling out of the reach of the common man, many residents of the Federal Capital Territory have quit lamenting and have designed a survival strategy.
They now scout for parties and programmes within their vicinity where foods and drinks will be freely shared.
On D-Day, they wear nice clothes and sit quietly and wait for “item 7” (food and drink time in local parlance.)
Once served, they empty the contents into a polythene bag and beckon for another platter of food.
Those with large families find their way to the servers’ spot and arrange for leftovers purportedly for their “dogs” when it is actually for the family.
Maryam Bunza, an events planner in Kubwa, Abuja, said: “I had an event in Dutse area of Abuja last month. It was a friend’s 40th birthday and it was done at an event centre. I handled the decoration, food and drinks. I’ve my team comprising boys and girls.
“This occasion was on a Saturday afternoon. Before we could the arrange the chairs, many were already waiting to sit.
“As the party progressed, the place was packed full. People jostling for food including leftovers. A woman with a baby strapped to her back begged for food she could take him in a polythene bag. She didn’t mind leftovers. I was touched and gave her the much I could.
“The economy is really in a bad shape and people are getting dehumanised daily.”
Johnson Omolade had similar experience: “You would young babes in parties but those big handbags they carry are strategic. If they run into a party, they have placed to store food and drinks. We see them always in parties stuffing their bags with meat and rice.
“When you ask them their relationship with the celebrant, they have no connection whatsoever with him or her. It’s all a survival strategy. When a bouncer threw out two boys out of a retirement party I organized, they said they were trying to survive and not rob anyone.
“Foodstuffs are so expensive now so anywhere you see food, you eat.”
At the Maitama Market, Kubwa, on Wednesday, a kilogram of local rice (one mudu) hitherto sold for N1,100 a week ago, oscillates between N1, 500 and N1,700. The same measure of beans sold at N800 barely two weeks ago now goes for between N1,100 and N1200 per mudu.
A rice seller at the market, Mallam Usman Haruna, said: “I used to travel to Nasarawa and Niger states to buy my stuff. But as of last week, the drivers have increased the amount by 90 per cent. Where we used to pay like N5,000, they will be charging N15,000 to N20,000 so it is really affecting the business.
“Some customers will come here and be talking to the sellers as if we are the cause of this hardship. We are also receiving the heat because at times after selling we can’t return to the market because it has also increased again. No profit again in this business. We are just coming out because we can’t stay at home,”
At Wuse Market, the price of rice has risen to N1,800 per mudu. A buyer, Lilian Ugwu: “I bought a mudu for N1,200 two weeks ago is now sold for N1,800. The seller asked me to buy or risk a higher price in days ahead.
“I bought the same quantity of rice for N1,200 two weeks ago but today, they said it is now N1,800. I don’t know if a poor man will eat again in this country. I cook one and a half mudu of rice in my house, just for one meal. If only the rice is taking over N3,000, then what will I use in cooking it?
“I have been walking around the market to see if I can get a cheaper one but nowhere. I am just confused and frustrated. It is as if what the Holy Bible said about the end times have started in Nigeria; when the barren will be saying thank God I didn’t give birth because most parents are finding it very difficult to feed their wards these days.”
A private teacher in Jabi, Eunice Godsman, said: “We eat mostly twice a day during this period because of the high cost of foodstuff. It is really difficult these days. The food the children take to school is now their morning and afternoon food,the next meal will be in the night.
“Everything is expensive, ranging from the cooking gas which is now N950/kg, even if you want to use charcoal, it is still not cheap. What they used to buy N50 is now N200.
“Imagine a mudu of garri is now sold for N700 against N350 some weeks ago. The least quality of local rice in the market is now N1,400 ,beans also N1,200. This is very frustrating.”
A civil servant, Madam Ifunaya Ike: “We adjusted our eating period to twice a day because of the high cost of foodstuff. My salary can’t buy anything outside this arrangement. The last time I went to the market with N50,000, I didn’t know what I bought but the money was gone.
“We keep hearing give them small time to get used to the system. But the hardship is increasing by the day while we the poor masses are dying slowly. With what I am seeing, I don’t think this country is going to be better.
“Everyone is talking about rice and beans, have you gone to a tomato stand, protein (meat and fish) and hear the prices they will be calling? The prices are deafening.”
Emeka Uzor, a trader at Dutse Market, said that transportation was a major cause of the constant increase in the prices of foodstuff.