Families Adopt New Lifestyles As Hardship Bites Harder

The recent fuel price hike by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its multiplier effects on the economy have forced most Nigerian families to adopt new lifestyles to cope with the hard times

The national oil corporation increased the pump price of petrol from N568 to N855 or N897 per litre, depending on the location, on September 3, 2024.

To cope with the development and other challenges confronting the populace, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that some parents have withdrawn their children from long-distance schools because of high transport fares while others have removed their wards from schools and registered them with artisans to acquire trade skills.

In interviews with our correspondents nationwide, parents said their priority is feeding their families before anything else.

In Delta State, with the rising cost of living continues to pressure households, individuals are increasingly cutting spending to survive the difficult times amid dwindling incomes and surging prices.

Many people can no longer cope because they survive on their static monthly earnings, but the price of food is on a bullish run.

Some Delta residents shared their experiences of coping with difficult times and what they are doing differently. They agreed that living in Nigeria isn’t about luxury right now; it’s about survival.
Great Udukpa, a primary school teacher, said the rise in the price of food is a disaster for his family.

“For me, the cost of food has made me go for what is healthy. I now forbid snacks, other luxury foods, and beer drinking. I have adjusted to drinking more water and taking a few fruits. In fact, a beer joint close to my office has closed for business owing to low patronage.

“I have forgone some basic comfort like data, cosmetics, air conditioner (AC) both in the car and at home because paying for units at home is becoming more difficult and the price of fuel has shot up against a stagnant salary structure. Now I only look towards spending on food. I have stopped eating out in restaurants; I now ensure I prepare all my meals,” he said

Similarly, Mike Uche, a hair stylist, concurred that his eating routine has changed. He said the static income of workers and the increase in food prices have had a negative effect on customers. He revealed that he now skips meals to conserve money.

“Before the rapid price increase, I usually ate three square meals. However, it has changed due to the cost of foodstuff. The rate at which I buy bags of beans and rice has reduced drastically from the previous years.

“It is almost impossible to afford anything, even a little luxury. I have to go for the cheapest products because they are more affordable, and this means I might have to forgo value sometimes,” she said.
Madam Grace Oyinye said: “I stick to my budget, be rational and forgo items that appear unnecessary. I try to do a scale of preference and choose the necessities that I know I cannot live without, such as water, rice, cooking gas and Indomie.”

A banker, Mercy Ulolo, said she used to buy sardines, butter, and stockfish, but now that the price is high, she only buys them once a month if sufficient funds are available.

“It’s painful, but I don’t get it as frequently as I used to.”

Most residents of Enugu State have also changed their lifestyles to cope with the recent hike in fuel price.
Our investigations revealed that some parents have withdrawn their children from their former schools and enrolled them in nearby schools which they can walk to.

The investigations also revealed that some vehicle owners have parked their cars while others only use them on special days like Sundays.

It was further observed that some of the children and their parents now walk to their schools and places of work because of the hike in transport fares.

Also, the investigations revealed that many people have changed their feeding patterns, with some eating once during the day and once at night after eating light food like the local delicacy called Okpa.

When our correspondent visited some popular beer joints, the places were empty
On inquiry, some of the operators attributed the development to the recent increment in the price of beers, which now sell for N700 and N800 a bottle.

Speaking with our correspondent on the development, a resident of Chiene Street in Achara Layout, Mr Ogbonna Okpara, said he was finding it difficult to feed members of his family two times a day.

“The situation is terrible. I’m finding it difficult to even feed my family of three for two times a day. You know that fuel triggers the prices of other food items. Now, a cup of rice is N500, and a paint bucket measure is N8000. How can I cope? Even my salary cannot feed us for two weeks if we manage to eat two times a day,” Okpara, a civil servant, said.

Another resident, Mrs Adaku Mbaeri, a trader, said his family was experiencing serious hunger and pain caused by increased fuel prices.

“The situation is no longer funny; people are suffering. We are finding it difficult to feed, not to talk of house rent and other things, the government should come to our rescue. Honestly, we are in pain,” she stated.

Mr Ignatius Darlington, who lives at Edinburgh in Ogui New Layout, told our Correspondent that, sometimes, his family feeds once a day because of the hardship and called on the federal government to reduce the price of fuel.

Other residents who spoke to our correspondent said they were on coping with the situation by the grace of God Almighty.

In Kaduna, some residents have lamented the high cost of living, as prices of goods and services skyrocketed due to the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies.

A resident of Romi Settlement in the Kaduna metropolis, Ishaku Donald, said, “My family has since forgotten about quality food. We manage to eat two times and sometimes one time in a day to survive. In the past, when things were better, we ate three times a day, but now, where can I get money to buy expensive food in the market? ”

Another resident, who identified herself as Helen Guma, said, “Things are bad. You can go to the market and confirm by yourself. I no longer buy clothes again. I’m now wearing my old clothes. Good food is out of reach for millions of families; there is no money to buy it. The government should look into this issue urgently,” she lamented.

Other residents of the state described the economic hardship as living in hell.

Also, 50-year-old Samson James lamented the latest fuel hike, describing it as a devastating blow to Nigerians who are already struggling to make ends meet after the recent increase in electricity tariffs and high tax rates.

The high cost of living is undoubtedly negatively impacting the lifestyles of residents of the Sokoto metropolis. However, this has made many start adjusting to the realities that are staring at them in the face.

High food prices have caused many homes to adjust the number of meals they eat in a day. Some homes ate thrice a day before, but they are now forced to reduce their daily meals to twice.
Francis Oziegbe, who resides at Offa Road with his family of seven, said the skyrocketed price of foodstuffs is the beginning of wisdom.

“As for me and my family, we have adjusted the number of meals we take a day from three to two daily. This was not difficult because my grown-up children, one in the university and another at the polytechnic, actually understand the situation.

“Even the second at the polytechnic, who used to go to school from home daily, now stays with his friend near the campus and comes home twice or thrice a week as transportation costs are biting harder.

Mallam Sani Abdullahi, a civil servant and father of four, told our correspondent that his dilemma is sorting out his children’s school fees as students return to school.

He said, “With the current high cost of living, maintaining three children in private school is a herculean task.

“The hard truth is that, with my meagre earnings, I will not be able to meet their private school needs and, the only alternative is to withdraw them to public schools and send them to Qur’anic classes.

“I am eagerly waiting for the implementation of the new minimum wage. Maybe it will cushion the biting effect of inflation that now ravaged the land,” Sani said.

In Oyo State, residents have continued to lament the economic hardship, as some can barely afford the three square meals daily.

A cross-section of the residents who spoke with our correspondent said since the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, they have been living in abject poverty.

With the hike in fuel cost from N650 to between N1,000 and N1,200, they said the economic situation had worsened to the extent that everything in the household has to be rationalised and prioritised.

A commercial driver, Lukmon Anjola, who claimed to have been plying Ibadan-Ogbomoso Road for the past 10 years, said things have changed for the worse.

He said: “Unlike in the past when you made a lot of money after four trips in a day and had enough to spend for yourself and your family, now things have changed. At the end of the day’s work, after buying petrol, you will hardly have enough money left, which has changed the feeding mode at home.”

A civil servant, Salami Ajasa, said that since the cost of transportation is high due to fuel hikes, he has decided to reduce his working days to three, adding that he often works from home.

Most car owners who spoke with our correspondent said they don’t always go out in their vehicles but are now using public transportation, which is cheaper.

Investigations around beer parlours or popular drinking or relaxation joints revealed that they are having low patronage.

A beer parlour owner, Mrs. Janet Chuwukudi lamented that patronage has dropped by 70 per cent.

She said that about six months ago, her shop was always full of customers who bought drinks even for their friends.

“The economy is biting harder, and no one or business has suffered. We all live by the grace of God”, she said.

Some residents of Kano state have continued to express grief over their inability to meet the daily needs of their immediate family due to the economic hardship caused by the removal of fuel and the increase in petroleum pump prices.

While some find it difficult to provide three square meals for their families and send their wards to school, others have parked their cars as an alternative means of transportation to their places of work or businesses, which has negatively impacted the general way of life.

A Kano resident who identified herself as Mama Sadiku told LEADERSHIP Sunday that her family could no longer afford three square meals a day.

On how she is coping, she said, “On weekends, I go to aviation quarters to plait hair for some kids, and the little money I get there is what I use to complement the N1200 given to me to make soup and take care of some needs, which is hardly enough.”

Another Kano resident, Dalhatu Dangana, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that he had parked his car and decided to board a commercial tricycle to work following the new pump price of N980 in major filling stations in the state.

He said before the recent increase, he spent an average of N20,000 weekly to fuel his car. With the recent increase, he had no option but to park the car and channel the resources to the family’s other needs.

“N1,000 can cover my transportation fare when I take a commercial tricycle; the wisdom now will help me save more than N10,000 weekly, and that can help me take care of some important needs, such as food for my family,” he said.