Local Taste Got Pricey!
- Pomegranate – N10,000
- Grapes – N6,000
Location: Farmer’s Market, Maitama.
Exactly! That was my reaction too because what the heck are those prices? Am I shopping for gold in a fruit market?
Now, don’t get me wrong – I know these aren’t exactly everyday groceries to state my case because these are like ‘rich people snacks’ in this part of the world but honestly, what is reasonably priced in this at this moment? Romanticising your life in this country is becoming increasingly difficult as the days go by. Infact, using that word and Nigeria in the same sentence is utterly comical when even the simple pleasures of life are anything but simple right now.
As a Benue girl and a foodie, I’m particularly annoyed about the yam situation. Imagine I bought a tuber of yam – a full piece, mind you – which put me in the top five percent. Then, because I knew this was a big-ticket item, I prepared and savoured it and delicately put what was left in the fridge. Then, NEPA struck – Shocker! As I write this, the power has been gone for a few days. I’m not even going to get into that, we all know what it means! So again, I ask, what do we really have as a people?
The economy is really struggling and we’re all feeling it. This is starting to feel like a never-ending season of a reality show where I’m just trying to survive another day without losing my mind or savings. You know how bad things have to be to start treating your food like a precious heirloom? I mean, should I start locking my fridge with a padlock now? I should give my former roommates credit for seeing the vision.
And don’t get me started on the cost of basic items. It’s like we’re living in a dystopian novel where the plot twist is that everything is double the price, but salaries stay the same. Finding something that doesn’t cost an arm, and a leg is like a game. Bread? Might as well be made of gold. Eggs? Only if you’re feeling particularly fancy that week.
So, what about you? What price has shocked you the most lately? Spill the tea, I want to be sure these market people are not sizing me up o LOL! But in all seriousness, we’re all just trying to get by, so find pockets of joy where you can, as we hope that someday, the grocery bill no longer looks like a luxury item and things actually get better. Until then, I’ll keep my yam and my sanity close, hoping for shorter power outages and lower prices. A girl can dream, right?
