Still an uneasy Easter •As Nigerians groan under hardship

Though Easter celebration is not as robust as Christmas, yet the usual conviviality associated with it is being eroded due to the poor economic situation in the country. ADEOLA OTEMADE and FUNMILAYO AREMU spoke with a cross section of Nigerians on how they hope to celebrate in spite of the poor economic situation.

Today is Easter Sunday, the day in which Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, having been crucified on the cross on Good Friday. Though it is supposed to be a time of reflection on the lessons to be learnt from both events (the death and resurrection of Jesus), Christians often celebrate also with things to eat and drink after church service.

However, the celebration indifferent homes this year would reflect the economic situation in the country where the cost of the main staple food (rice) is getting beyond the reach of the average Nigerian. Other food items are also going beyond reach, just as the usual air of Easter celebration is disappearing year in year out, no thanks to the economy.

Sunday Tribune went to town to find out what the situation is in the market place. At Apata, Ibadan, market, a turkey stood stately and majestic, occasionally strutting around on the pavement, while its owner, the seller, waited hopefully for buyers that refused to come. It was three days to Easter Sunday but not many had shown interest in the turkey. The owner was not perturbed. She was hoping for a last minute sale.

That was when Sunday Tribune showed up, attracted by the fairly big turkey. The owner was asked how much the turkey costs, hoping it would be within reach. ‘Twenty-five thousand naira’ came the reply. ‘N25,000 for a turkey, when it is not a goat!?’ Sunday Tribune exclaimed. The woman and others around smiled, they knew the reporter was not up-to-date with current market prices of food items.

The reporter did not push further; there was no point. His attention turned to the chickens nearby. Even the supposedly affordable soon became untouchable. Each of the chickens cost between N7,000 and N8,000. The seller refused to back down on the cost. According to her, the cost of feed was responsible and if she had to recoup her investment, going below the price she had given would make her sell at a loss. She moaned, telling of the several weeks she had put into diligently raising the chickens.

Usually, what makes the chicken and rice tasty are the pepper and other condiments. Just as in the case of the main items, that is rice and chicken or turkey as the case may be, the accompanying items are also costly. The sellers were obviously not smiling to the bank.

Cost of food items remain high

In Jos, Plateau State, prices of commodities such as a bag of rice, maize, beans, basket of tomatoes, among others remain high few days to Easter and are mostly out of the reach of the common man.

A market survey carried out showed that residents no longer buy in bags anymore, as quite a number of them have resorted to buying in small measurements due to the astronomical increase in the price of these commodities.

A trader at the popular tomatoes market at Farin-Gada Jos, Mallam Ibrahim, said a basket of tomatoes now cost N4,000 against the former price of N2,500 adding that many now prefer to buy in small quantities.

Findings further showed that a bag of foreign rice which went for about N28,000 late last year now costs between N35, 000 and N40, 000 depending on its quality while the local one goes for N22,000.

A cross-section of people, mostly civil servants who spoke with Sunday Tribune decried the high cost of foodstuff in major markets in Jos.

They posited that they were no longer able to buy what they needed to feed their families with, considering the money they had on them.

Mr Stephen Bulus, a civil servant stated that his monthly salary can no longer feed his family for two weeks due to the increase in the prices of commodities and therefore called on the government to address the situation.

Joy Jonathan, a pepper seller at Molete market in Ibadan, told the Sunday Tribune that the festive season is much like any other day because people are making do with what they have, thus she is not upbeat about making big sales.

“To be honest with you, things are pricey, and people are simply going to the market to buy items as they do on a regular basis. However, there isn’t much to say because there isn’t much of a difference. Unlike other festive periods, Easter has always been observed without much fanfare, so it’s just another Easter celebration. It’s just that things are on the high side.”

Monisola Jibowu, another trader at Molete market, told the Sunday Tribune that based on what she has seen, the average consumer’s ability to indulge in excessive shopping has greatly decreased.

“Things are expensive, and everyone is feeling the pinch; I sell food items such as rice, beans, garri, palm oil, vegetable oil, and so on, and I’ve been in this industry for 15 years. I can tell you emphatically that things have changed. People have been coming to buy in bits for the Easter celebration, but so far, it is not like the other celebrations when there is so much frenzy, such as Sallah, Christmas and New Year seasons; it’s more of a select few enjoying Easter. So it is going to be just like any other day,” she explained.

How we plan to celebrate

A public secondary school teacher, Omorinola Akinyemi, bemoaned the suffocating economic state of the country which has affected everything, including foodstuffs. She stated that these are difficult times for average Nigerian and that keeping one’s body and soul in good shape is no longer a child’s play.

“However, as Christians, we cannot help but rejoice in Christ’s finished work for all believers all around the world.The country’s present conditions are enough to irritate someone into not celebrating, but as Christians, our faith and trust for supply are in Him.

“Food prices have increased in recent years, and items we purchased at lower rates last year are no longer available at same prices this year. However, we must make do with what we have,” she said.

Kolawole Iyanu, a legal practitioner, told Sunday Tribune that this year’s celebration by his family would be low-keyed because of the country’s current socio-economic situation.

“It is easy to detect that there isn’t much buzz about this season; it’s virtually like any other day.  My family usually celebrates with chicken, jollof rice, and plenty of beverages, but I overheard my mother telling us that ‘we’ll be having beef and plain white rice instead, because Christmas is still around the corner’

“It’s amusing, but it is obvious that one should not worry oneself over a single day’s celebration. So, for my family, it’ll be fairly tiny; we’ll go to church in the morning, and go home to celebrate Jesus Christ’s resurrection after the service,” he said.

The story is the same with Adenike Muhammed, an accountant, as she told Sunday Tribune that she has always celebrated Easter by attending the usual service in the morning and cooking what she could afford for lunch after service.

“I’ve always observed Easter by attending church and eating as much as I could afford,” she said, adding that “because I cannot afford to eat chicken or have an expensive supper due to the current economic circumstances, I would be celebrating with what I could afford.

“The true celebration, in my opinion, is the salvation that comes with the spirit of Easter. I see this season as a time for serious reflection on Jesus’ life and death, and what it means to me as a Christian. I would cook a pricey meal if I could afford it. However, it is not required.”

Esther Adegbaju told Sunday Tribune that she would be cutting back on her customary spending because the constant rise in food costs will prevent her from celebrating as she would have loved to.

According to her, “We all know, there is no money. Food prices are rising by the day. I usually kill two chickens for Easter, but this year I might be able to kill one or opt for beef. Another compromise I’ll have to make is sharing food with my neighbors. I normally do it every year, but I believe this year will be different. It’s something I can’t afford. I’m not going to drink carbonated beverages; instead, I’ll drink Zobo (a Hibiscus drink) because they’re not so pricey.”

Additional story by Isaac Shobayo