Ebunoluwa Sessou, Florence Amagiya & Blessing Chukwuneke

For Mrs. Evelyn Orji, a business woman in Sango area of Ogun state, eating rice during this Christmas season will be difficult.

‘Nigerians are going to vote out the ruling APC’

No thanks to the hike in price of rice. Telling her story on how she would manage the little resources within her reach to celebrate the festive period, Mrs. Orji explained that, cooking rice for her children will be a difficult journey to embark on.

According to her, “Rice is very expensive in Nigeria and that is why it is very impossible to talk about rice let alone buying it for the children to eat during the festive season. Imagine, buying a bag of rice for N27, 000 which was the same amount used to buy 2bags last year. I do not know where to state and I am pretty sure that, many families will be facing this same problem in Nigeria as we speak.

“For me, I have decided to substitute rice for yam. So, this festive period, we will be preparing pounded yam and soup or yam porridge with some chickens, our Christmas is secured. I will not bother myself on rice”, she said.

The truth is that, Mrs. Orji is not the only one with this notion. Average Nigerian families will probably be opting for other foodstuffs instead of rice.

Christmas is at the corner and one wonders if there will be any miracle before December 25, perhaps, the price of rice might drop for Nigerian families to be able to buy and cook for their loved ones.

Predictable famine and deepening poverty in 2019

Can any miracle reverse the price of rice? Would there be new rice? Perhaps, Nigerians would be forced to eat other foods or celebrate the Christmas without rice. The question therefore is, how possible is it for Nigerians to celebrate Christmas without rice?

Although rice is a staple food in most Nigerian homes, even without festive season, Nigerians shop for rice because it is easy to cook, durable and cost effective. With so many brands of rice in the market, it is simple for Nigerians to opt for as many as they needed.

And during festive season, some families would even send bags of rice to their loved ones in the village. The same way they are hoping to celebrate this Christmas. Unfortunately, hike in price of rice especially with the border closure has caused most homes to stay out of rice. Some of them according to investigation are now looking in the direction of potatoes, yam, plantains, and spaghetti among others to celebrate the season. For them, nothing spoils.

And for those who use rice as gift to reach out to less privilege in the society, there is already an alternative. Yam, beans and spaghetti, noodles among others are already in the pipeline.

Today in Nigeria, the cost of buying a bag of rice can be used to buy many items to celebrate the season.

One of the major factors of this problem is the border closure which has allegedly hiked the price of rice. Even the so-called local rice according to Nigerians is expensive to buy.

Speaking with Mrs. Orji on why she prefers other foodstuffs to rice this season, she said, “Considering the fact that one would have to forfeit one to two months salaries to purchase a bag of rice, my husband as a salary earner is not ready to forfeit his salary because of a bag or rice or even half bag, therefore, it is wise to live within our means.

“Nigerians love rice for all occasions. It is a family meal. Rice is cooked at weddings, naming ceremonies and birthdays among others. In fact, no occasion is complete without a pot of jollof rice, white rice and stew, coconut rice or fried rice. But, it is a pity that we have to celebrate this season without rice”, she lamented.

For Mrs. Rita, a trader in Ibeju Lekki, substituting foreign rice for local rice is the agenda for this season.  “I have ordered for local rice from the East”.

A banker, Mrs Jonah Gloria, who resides in Mile 2 told WW that, opting for swallow is the best option for this season. For her swallow is the new rice. “I don’t enjoy rice and I thank God. I prefer swallow to any good food anytime. Border closure or not, the outcome is still the same as previous years, the only difference is that nowadays is the price of foodstuffs”, she said.

For an IT expert in Lagos, Mr. Mathew Abiodun, substituting rice for fufu is the best thing at this season.  “High cost of things in Nigeria today is worrisome even our staple food is suffering and Nigerians are suffering the aftermath of the hike in price of rice. For me, I cannot kill myself, if I do not celebrate the season with rice, nothing will happen to me. I have moved on”, he said.

In the same way, Sarah Shaye is experiencing fear that, this Christmas might be well celebrated because some families might not be cooking rice in their homes. “Christmas is a beautiful season of thanksgiving spent with family and friends. It is a season where love and giving is at its peak. But I fear for this season if the average Nigerian can give rice to his family or his friends. As for me; l would make swallow for my family or well wishers when they visit me on Christmas day.

“Rice has always been the food we cook for every festive season but as we cannot even buy local rice in Nigeria these days; we are left with eating other available food”, she frowned.

Franka Omo explained that, “Christmas for me is not about the rice but about the heart. “What we eat that day does not matter. Even though rice is our staple food and it would have been better if Nigerians can afford it in this season; it would not mean that Christmas would not happen because there is no rice. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season and l think we should concentrate on the reason.

In her contribution, Amara told WW that she will be celebrating her birthday during the Christmas season, so she has decided to opt for fish on that day.  “I will be preparing fish soup on Christmas day. It is my birthday and l had decided what to do. But if l have so much money; I would have loved to give back to the society by buying rice and sharing it amongst my neighbours.

Border closure not breaching free trade agreement, FG says

Other people who spoke on the issue noted that the hike in price of rice did not bother them as they will be celebrating the day with plenty of rice among their family members.

Vanguard