Anger Mounts As Economic Hardship Bites Harder In Osun

• Nigerians Reaching Elastic Limit, Coalition Warns

• We’re Dying of Hunger, High Cost Of Living, Residents Lament

Nigerians and residents of Osun State in particular have been expressing their discontent with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, following the lingering economic hardship that accompanied the fuel subsidy removal. 

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the discontent is already culminating in resentment and frustration, as there is noticeable widespread anger among residents of the state. 

The economic hardship, which is manifesting in skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs and essential commodities, inflation, and a high cost of living, has continued to generate reactions from the people.

The majority of the residents of the state, especially low-income earners, traders, artisans, and commercial transporters, have been lamenting their inability to provide basic needs at their various homes, owing to the increment in the prices of commodities. 

They noted that there is increasing hunger and starvation, which might lead to an upsurge in crime. 

“Anger is bottling up as people are getting tired of the hardship, something urgent must be done to address the situation, or else Nigeria might witness another EndSARS protest,” declared Mr. Jide Afolabi, a social analyst. 

As of the time of filing this report yesterday, a bag of rice was sold at N69,000, a bag of beans was N107,000, a crate of eggs was N3,500, a carton of noodles was sold between N5,000 and N7,000, a congo of garri was N900, while a bag of cement was N8,500 in Osogbo.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, a resident of Osogbo, Mrs. Abiona Owolabi, said her family has canceled lunch in their menu and reduced the snacks and drinks their children take to school due to the high cost of foodstuffs and other commodities. 

Owolabi said her family has also resorted to cooking with charcoal because of the increase in the price of gas, noting that the current economic situation demands management. 

She said: “The hike is not only on the price of foodstuffs alone, even sweet, drinks and biscuits meant for young children are also expensive beyond our financial capacity. You can no longer get N10 sweets in the market, normal biscuits now sell for N50. 

“We have canceled lunch in our family; we only take breakfast, which is not what we used to take, and dinner. I have also reduced the quality and quantity of snacks and drinks that my children take to school when things are too costly to afford. I am not ashamed to tell you that we are now using charcoal to cook at home because of the increase in the price of cooking gas. We save money on gas and use it for another thing.” 

Residents of rural areas were not also left out in the economic hardship experience, as they also lamented the cost of food and other commodities in their environment. 

A resident of Ileogbo, Ayedire local government of the state, Mr. Abeeb Adegboyega, lamented that his family could no longer afford to buy rice again because of its high cost. 

“We are facing hunger here; the general or common foods are no longer available for us because we can’t afford to buy them again. Imagine if garri is being sold at N700, a congo of rice at N2500, and a congo of beans at N2,200. How can we afford that? 

“Economic hardship is everywhere; prices of foodstuffs and other commodities are going higher, and we are not making money, our income is not increasing. 

Mrs. Olalekan Oluwasegun, a resident of Ife, who spoke with the medium on Tuesday, said: “The removal of fuel subsidies and inflation are making things tough for people. We spend more money on food items now than before, and we are unable to do any other things because of that.

She said, “A bag of rice that was sold for N58,000 three weeks ago costs N70,000 now. A bag of garri was sold for N35,000 two weeks ago, but it is now N45,000. Food prices have increased in general. We have been rationing food at our various homes. People spend more money to buy food than before, and that is affecting other aspects of our lives.”

Expressing her concern about the cost of living in the country, Mrs. Lateefat Makinde, a trader in Ilesa, said inflation and the high prices of foodstuffs were causing hunger, starvation in the country, noting that many Nigerians are sleeping with an empty belly daily.

“The economic hardship is breeding hunger, starvation, and malnutrition. We can’t afford to cook rice anymore because it’s too expensive, our children now take eba to school for lunch and they will still drink garri when they return home. Garri self is even expensive”, she stated. 

Nigerians Reaching Elastic Limit, Coalition Warns 

The Osun Civil societies coalition (OCSC) has described the economic hardship as a time bomb. 

According to the OCSC, anger and frustration are piling up as Nigerians continue to struggle to cope with the hardship, stating that they will react when they reach their elastic limit. 

In a press conference addressed yesterday in Osogbo, the OCSC gave President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to find a sincere and lasting solution to the situation. 

The coalition accused Tinubu and the state governors of living large on the gains of the fuel subsidy removal while urging Nigerians to make sacrifices and endure. 

A text of the press conference prepared by Comr. Waheed Lawal, the Chairman of the Coalition, reads: “The removal of subsidies has cast a shadow over the economic stability of Nigeria; and this is hampering productivity and killing small and medium-scale enterprises, taking away the purchasing power of the Nigerian people, creating hunger, starvation, and skyrocketing food and commodity prices, among other woes. 

“The worst of the agonies is the ongoing food crisis, where staple foods are now exclusive and unaffordable for the common Nigerians. The hardship is more alarming and heading towards an elastic limit. 

“It is only a government of the mafias that will deprive the mass majority of Nigerians to please the capitalists and their cronies. Where are the gains from subsidy removal? They have been cornered by the executive and legislative arms of government. The people have been forgotten. 

“With all indications, it appears that President Bola Tinubu goofed on the pronouncement of subsidy removal. It was unexpected of somebody with lifelong ambition to make a loose statement that has been the albatross of his administration till now. 

“The masses cannot continue to make sacrifices when government officials are lavishing the common patrimony. Governors and national and state lawmakers have been living large on our common wealth. 

“In Osun state and Nigeria generally, the palliative provision is shambolic, and no tangible programme or projects have been achieved or initiated to ease the suffering of the people. 

“We are aware of the increased accruable allocation to the state, the governor should endeavour to be judicious and humane on the finances of the state. We equally call on the Federal and state governments to balance infrastructure with humanitarian services.”

The coalition declared that it would mobilise people to occupy Osun and Nigeria if the federal government failed to address the economic hardship within seven days, calling on labour and trade unions, artisans, market men and women, students, and others to join the struggle.

“It is clear that the common Nigerian people have not gained anything from the subsidy remover, while the government officials are becoming richer daily. It is therefore important that the Nigerian people begin to mobilize and organize themselves for mass action that is closer to us all. 

“It is time to be united again for common goals as we did in 2012. We hereby give the federal government seven days ultimatum to address the worsening economic situation, failure of which we are going to occupy the state and Nigeria at large”, it stated.