As recent economic downturn in the country escalates, housewives tell WO they are perplexed and frustrated.
For different women, the story is almost the same as they tell stories of the difficulties they encounter in trying to meet up with the economic realities of the country.
For Ituah, a businesswoman, things are getting tougher. "To eat now is by the grace of God. Things are hard in the country now. It is difficult to say how one would survive on a daily basis. Imagine four pieces of tomatoes in Oyingbo market were sold for' five hundred naira! My husband gave me N3000 last week to cook stew and I started struggling with what to buy. In the end, I could not buy anything other than mixed pepper and tomatoes in a sachet, some crayfish, ponmo just to make sure that my children could get something to eat.
"I am sure nobody will be thinking or talking of eating three square meals. Many families are facing severe tough times now. With inflation, things are very expensive in the market.
"My blood pressure is increasing on a daily basis because things are becoming unbearable.
If I am complaining like this, I cannot imagine what salary earners will be passing through.
Those who just got married this year are not finding it funny, let alone those who have babies, it is so pathetic."
Salary no longer takes me home -- Comfort, Salary Earner
Another woman, Comfort, a salary earner working on Lagos Island also shared her experience with WO. According to her, "I am just thinking of how I would manage my salary throughout the month.
"Transportation is over 300 per cent, prices of foodstuffs are over 300 per cent and my salary has not changed. I have tried the best I can, to see how to survive this challenge, my sister, I am seriously tired. I do not know how to manage my life. My husband is also a salary earner and things are not looking up at all. Our children are at the mercy of whatever we bring home. This is becoming more terrible, I must confess. These are seriously hard times.
"From this little salary, I had already collected a loan which I am expected to pay back. My take home is about N16, 000".
People no longer patronise us -- Madam Titi, Driver
For a commercial driver, Madam Titi who plies Ikeja, the challenge of securing fuel is becoming unbearable.
"People are no longer patronizing us because transportation fares are high now. For us as drivers, things are very expensive. Fuel is expensive, even prices of foodstuffs are very high. I am clueless on what to do next. I am only doing this because I need to support my home financially and ensure that my children can feed."
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We now ration food at home -- Gift, Fashion designer
A fashion designer, Gift in Surulere, a Lagos suburb, told WO that her family now rations food at home. "Right now, I ensure that my family does not miss breakfast. We can skip afternoon meals and then find our way around evening food. I just pray God should have mercy on us in this country.
"I have been hearing that Nigeria will be better since I was young. Now fuel is going to N1000 per litre, I pray this situation will not push Nigerians to what they would not want to do just to survive.
"I am just tired of the whole situation. A bag of flour is sold for N42, 000, a bag of sugar is N39,000 to mention just a few. The question is, how am I going to survive with my family with the situation on ground?
"Many households are struggling to put food on their tables now. We are getting poorer and poorer everyday and it seems there is no end in sight," she said.
