..Falana blames leadership, calls for mechanized farming
…Pensioners threaten to protest naked
BY ADA DIKE & STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
Nigeria’s soaring inflation is leaving bitter pills in the mouths of citizens as prices of food items have been raised sharply beyond many. At the moment most Nigerians are finding it difficult to eat.
Two days ago, a cleaner and mother of two children called Mummy Anita went to the market and used 70 percent of her salary to buy foodstuffs. When she got home and kept them on the floor, she wept. Her cry attracted her neighbours who were troubled to hear her cry for the first time she moved into that compound 10 years ago. The average height woman from Kogi State told them that what she bought could not last for one and half week.
Also, a young man in a video posted online few days ago went to buy foodstuffs and wept bitterly in the market because he was surprised to hear different prices of foodstuffs.
Sunday Times reporters went to different markets in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Onitsha and discovered that prices of foodstuffs have gone up twice within two weeks. Most of the sellers said it was caused by high rate of dollars per naira.
In some markets, four-litre paint bucket of white garri costs between N1,800.00 and N2,400.00. Four-litre paint bucket of yellow garri costs between N2000.00 and N2,700,00. A bag of yellow garri is now N28,000.00, while a bag of white garri that was sold at N11,500.00 and 13,000.00 early last year now costs between N30,000.00 and N35,000.00. Around this time last year, that four-litre bucket paint of white garri was sold at N550.00.
A four-litre paint bucket of beans, which cost N3,200.00 early last week is being sold presently between N3,800.00 and N4,200.00. A bag of beans that cost between N22,000.00 and 26,000.00 this time last year is now between 37,000.00 and N45,000.00.
Also, a four-litre paint bucket of rice that was sold between N4,500.00 last week now costs between N6,000.00 and N7000.00. A bag of foreign rice that was sold between N60,000.00 and 65,0000.00 early last week is being sold between N68,000.00 and N73,000.00 this week while a bag local rice is sold at N63,000 against N47,000 it was sold early last week.
A 750ml litre bottle of red oil that was at N850.00 is now sold between N900.00 and N1200.00. The four litres gallon of red oil that was sold at N4,500.00 now costs N5,000.00. A 25-litre gallon of oil that was N23,000.00 now costs N28,000.00.
An average size tuber of yam that was sold at N1,700.00 last week now costs N2,500.
A trader, Iya Femi, who is selling foodstuffs on wholesale at the ever busy Daleko market, near Iyana Isolo, Lagos, spoke to Sunday Times and said that since she has been selling garri, beans and rice, she has not witnessed the type of hyper-inflation Nigerians are battling presently.
“I have been selling foodstuffs for over 30 years, the way prices of foodstuffs went up this year has not happened before. The bag of white garri we sold between N12,000.00 and N15,000.00 last year is over N30,000.00.
“We have reduced the quantity of foodstuffs we used to buy hoping the prices will come down, but it continues to go up every week,” said Iya Femi.
Sunday Times also visited different markets and shops and found out that bread that was sold at N150,00 late last year now costs N350,00 the one of N800.00 now costs N1200.00. A 20-gramme sachet of beverage drink (Milo) that was sold N100.00 last week is N150.00 this week.
A 500-gramme pack of spaghetti (Anti B and Mama’s Pride), that was sold at N500.00 last week now costs N650, while 500-gramme pack of Golden Penny Spaghetti now cost N750.00 against N650.00 it was sold last week.
The prices of cooking gas in Port Harcourt is N1,200.00, Aba N1,100.00, Lagos between N1,000.00 and N1,400.00, Onitsha N1,200.00 and Arochukwu (Abia State) is N1500.00.
Causes of the hyper inflation
Nigeria’s economy is dependent on the dollar and it affects every sector in Nigeria. Moreover, most of raw materials for production in the country are purchased mostly with dollars.
In November last year, the exchange rate was N785.00 per dollar and N1,035.00 per dollar on January 3, this year. It later rose to N1,300.00 per dollar same January. On Thursday this week, naira was N1500.00 per dollar.
Someone said he went to buy some roasted plantain and the seller told him that the high cost of roasted plantain is due to the rate of dollars, he then asked, “Does a plantain seller buy a bunch of plantain in dollars?”
Responding to the question, a businessman, Leo Win, said dollars controls Nigeria’s economy because petrol and diesel controls our economy and daily activities, so if the plantain woman complains about it, I don’t see any problem in that, petrol and diesel should go back to their normal prices.”
He further said that the plantain seller spends money on other items like clothing, drugs, education, housing and transportation which are affected by dollars, and this impact on her livelihood. “She has no other option than to increase the price of her source of income.”
Reactions:
Protests erupted in Niger, Kano and Osun States early this week over high cost of essential commodities.
The protesters in Niger blocked major roads and lamented how difficult life has become in Nigeria.
This happened shortly after the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), appealed to President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, find a way to tackle the menace of high cost of foodstuffs and other essential commodities in the country..
Meanwhile, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has assured Nigerians that the hard times will soon be tackled with the policies the present government is putting on ground.
Lamenting, a mother of four children based in Benue State, Mrs. Rose Ochi, has attributed the high rate of mental health to high cost of commodities in the markets.
“Fellow Nigerians, majority of us are now suffering from mental health due to the high cost of commodities and health maintenance, please, stop going to someone to ask him or her to borrow you money, to avoid the unexpected.
“I do not know what is happening in your area, but hardship has climaxed in my area. Young boys are grouping themselves going inside bushes, looking for bush rabbit, in the process, burning down all the bushes.
“Stealing of cocoyam and other foodstuffs have become the order of the day. I pray, it will not result in the recycling of excreta.”
An Abuja based woman, Mrs. Christiana Kingsley asks: “Which way Nigeria? Please, who can explain what is happening? High cost of everything, especially foodstuffs. Common water that God gave us free is now expensive. I remember buying a bag of sachet water for N50.00, now it cost N400.00. One egg is now N150.00. Garri and sugar which are average man’s consolation are now quite expensive. Do we also use dollar to produce palm oil? Salaries are not increasing. In fact, I’m fed up.”
With a title: “Inflation in Nigeria: The Hungry Sparks Anger,” Adamu Aminu@dailyreliable.com.ng, among other things said, from Minna, Niger state, where starvation and the cost of living sparked mass protests, to Kano, where Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf convened traders, calling on them to soften their stance on unnecessary price increments under the guise of daily skyrocketing dollar prices, the minds of average Nigerians are preoccupied with fear and thoughts of securing three square meals for their families.
Aminu said the breadwinners can hardly cater to their family’s needs.
“Apart from the longstanding threats of insecurity paving the way for banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and other forms of unending insecurity bedeviling the nation, the high rate of unimaginably high prices of foodstuffs adds salt to the injury.
“Presently, comfort and joy are in short supply in the minds of average Nigerians, leaving the people with limited capacity for positive thinking,” said Aminu.
He however, added that, like a swinging pendulum, people’s minds hang between fear and uncertainty on how to feed their families because food affordability is now only for the few.
“It is glaringly clear that the throttle pushing to the extreme invokes speeding daily hardships on the populace.
“Given these unwanted conditions of seemingly unending hardships in which Nigerians find themselves, the government must do the needful to arrest the untamed scenario with every solution at its disposal.
“While the generality of Nigerians, from all walks of religious faith, prostrate in seeking God’s forgiveness to redeem the populace from the current needless starvation, as proverbially said, “A troubled mind is a prospective playground for the devil, while a hungry man is an angry man.
“It’s apt and timely to publicly state that artificial hunger and starvation envelop Nigeria and Nigerians, and a stitch in time will undoubtedly saves nine,” he enthused.
In the same vein, the Director of Al-Falaah Meat Place, Osogbo in Osun State, Mr. Yakub Oludare Adenuga, has suggested ways to tackle the high cost of living in the country.
According to him, over dependence of Nigerians on imported goods which is imported with foreign currencies, is the root cause of the high cost of living in the country.
He also said it is appalling that native businesses are suffering, while Nigerians are also clamouring bitterly for the re-opening of borders.
In his words: “Personally, I am not against re-opening of borders. The development of economy of nations, hinges very much on their contributions to foreign exchange. So, trades and transactions among nations, are not and have never been the problem of any country.
“The main issue of concern is when the sector of economy of a country which currently booms, gradually dies off, for another country to be in charge of that sector.
“Something that should be our concern, is when our local firms, farms and farmers are shutting down operations, to be replaced by foreign investors,” said Adenuga.
In continuing, he said: “It’s simply logical for Nigerians to cry out if in addition to the closure of borders, local products are also not affordable to be patronised. This is an issue that calls for a compassionate attention, of the Nigerian government.
“Local investors can consider investing more in Agriculture, to avail Nigerians adequate access to affordable foods. For instance, Nigerian-based poultry farmers and farms need an urgent rescue, from the current challenges of expensive day old chick (DOC) and chicken feeds they are facing.
“In addition to the problems of expensive feeds, the feeds are not giving the farmers the usual and expected conversion to muscle (meat).
“The fact is that of all animals, the feedstuffs used in poultry production, heavily compete with human foods.
“Foodstuffs like maize, soybeans (SBN) and groundnut cake (GNC) for instance, are also important foodstuffs used in the production of many human foods, that’s why as human foods become expensive, animal feeds also become more expensive.
“So as we complain about high cost of food items and as we clamour for re-opening of closed borders, losing our local businesses which are thriving well to foreign investors, should be a matter that calls for our collective worries.”
He emphasized that the truly giant countries and continents are the manufacturing ones, not those that are only good at consuming, adding that they export goods and commodities, the same manner they import others.
Also speaking, another concerned citizen and farmer, Mr. Muftau Ade lamented that It’s unfortunate that an average Nigerian doesn’t know the implications of the ostensible love for foreign commodities. “I’m always at loss when our people clamour for border opening because they want foreign rice and things like that.”
He urged the federal government to be decisive in tackling the challenges faced by our farmers head on. He suggested that food security must be accorded top priority while genuine farmers must be identified for necessary assistance.
…Falana blames leadership, calls for mechanised farming
Meanwhile foremost lawyer and senior advocate, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has said that the problem of Nigeria needs not to be solved by balkanization, but by calling on the leadership and elites to do the rightful.
He said leadership problem was the only problem the country had, adding that the common people ought to continually question their leaders, as there were enough resources to make the country a good place to live for all.
The lawyer cum rights activist spoke on a radio station in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Our correspondent, who monitored the interview, said Falana lampooned the Nigerian government for allowing the nation’s agricultural potentials to lie wasting.
“Nigerians should pressurise governments to invest in mechanized agriculture and farming generally. Gone are the the days that hoes and cutlasses are fashionable in agriculture. What is government doing that large scale mechanized farming is not seen? They (Nigerians) should demand for security on farms, so that people can work on their farms with peace of mind.
“Nigeria has abundant lands; from Ibadan to Lagos, from Ibadan to Ife, there are lands lying fallow. Government should engage these lands in commercial farming.
“Remember that we had a Nigeria when people like Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa etc. were in the saddle. They employed agriculture toleverage the advantage of the country. Awolowo did stadium, he did first television on the continent and all that.
“We were ahead of Malaysia, Singapore and so on in the 60s. As a matter of fact, Malaysia came to Nigeria to source for oil palm seedlings. But today, Nigeria imports palm oil from Malaysia and such other countries. It is leadership failure.
“Nigeria does not need to break up; the size of the country does not matter. The people of this country must mount pressure on the rulers to have human capacity development.
“If you break Nigeria up under this current leadership, there will be oppression of some components.
“Remember that last December, the government reportedly released bags of rice to lawmakers to give to constituents to ease the impact of economic hardship. What happened to those bags of rice? People should ask those leaders questions. It is not about dividing the country; it is about leadership.
“There are states in this country that have resources that can take care of them. Ondo State has about the second largest deposit of bitumen in the world. Oyo State has very large deposit of economic resources. Nassarawa has. There is hardly any state that hasn’t resources like goldmine in this country. What is the leadership doing with all that? I mean, this country has agricultural resourcs that it can feed the whole of Africa.
“Japan has one of the worst weather in the world; but it is a leading nation today. The fact is that Nigerians have the wherewithal to get organised outside of religion and ethnicity; but the opportunistic manipulation of the elites is the major problem.
“The Soviet revolution, the Cuban revolution are what we should learn from. Look at the EndSARS, protest; it united the youths of this country across religious divides. But the government infiltrated their ranks, despite that they were peaceful in their protest. The youths have shown us by that that we can bond and save this country. We have learnt a lot from that End SARs protest,” h said.
Speaking on the Nigerian leadership and its relationship with the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) and other African countries, Falana said the organisation was weak. He added that it ought to support the oppositions in countries where the military had taken over power.
“ECOWAS is weak; it must support the opposition parties in those countries, especially in Senegal. In our traditional societies, there are procedures that we use to remove leaders that are perpetrating atrocities. Democracy is not peculiar to Europe. The reasson democracy is not working in Africa is that the ruling class have refused to allow it to take firm root,” he said.
Also speaking on the 2023 elections, the lawyer said the last election in the country, “in the reckoning of most Nigerians, was not the worst ever held in the county.”
He added that the 2003 and 2007 had flaws that surpassed the last election.
“The 2003 and 2007 elections, under the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, are considered as the worst among some of us. In some places, the ballot papers were neither marked not given serial numbers.
“The last election in the country had the main problem caused by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It promised to relay results real time; but it failed to do that. That was the major issue about the 2023 elections.
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“There are things to learn from the electoral systems of Kenya, Namibia and some other countries of Africa. Their election results were declared within few days and even before swearing in of winners. There are now technologies that can be deployed to prevent us from waiting or results endlessly. We don’t have to be discussing the issue of a candidate’s certificate after election; we ought to have settled things like that before elections were held,” Falana said.
…Pensioners threaten to protest naked
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners says its members will take to the streets naked, if the welfare of pensioners in the country does not improve significantly any time soon.
The National President of the union, Godwin Abumusi, told journalists at a news briefing in Abuja on Friday that his union will take the action to draw the attention of the world to the plight of pensioners.
“I am going to lead Nigerian pensioners naked,” he said. “I mean, when we are going to protest, we are going to go naked on the street, so that the world will see the pensioners in Nigeria are demonstrating naked.
“If they like, they will arrest us and say, ‘Why did you go naked on the streets?’.
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