It was a while ago; the last time that I had gone to the market. Yesterday, realizing that I had run out of basic, necessary stuff, and being my off-day from work, I took the initiative.
Boy! I had my mouth open the whole time. Almost literally. Everything has tripled in price. It is a scary situation that a bag of water which was sold for a hundred naira now costs four hundred naira, but finding that six miserable pieces of pepper that no one would buy for fifty naira, at the start of the year, is now sold for five hundred naira, started me.
For every stall I walked into, I said a short prayer, but for each one, it was same thing.
Even vegetable sellers, some of who grow these veggies at the back of their houses sold the items for amounts that didn't equate the quantity. And they all complained that the inflation was due to the rise in dollar against naira.
I don't blame them. Like the rest of us, they get to buy other items that they don't sell, but need, at the increased prices. We all feel the heat.
When I looked at the list in my hand, that I had prepared before leaving the house, which was to guide my shopping, I laughed. The kind of laughter borne out of pain and anger. I would barely be able to get one-quarter of what was on the list before my budgeted amount ran out
It made me wonder how, those earning paltry sums, those on the far lower end of the economic ladder and those with young children fared.
As if to increase my despair about the current issues, the bus I got into while going back home from the market, the radio fm playing on the stereo had the song "Jagajaga by Eedris Abdulkareem" playing. You needed to have heard the hisses from all corners of the bus as the song came to an end.
One woman went, "this country has spoilt. This our government is heartless," and like petrol waiting for a spark, the passengers began trading stories and talking above one another, complaining of the times and making reference to the past when life had been easier.
I zoomed out of the discussion. I wandered off in my mind. The song, 'Nigeria jaga-jage' which I can translate to mean,'Nigeria in upturn/chaos,' was released far back in 2004. I imagine how life was at the time for Eedris to have released the song. To think that older people consider life, back then, as better than now. If Eedris were to make another sound for present day, he'll probably cry halfway in. Or, he'll just invite some Nigerians to hiss, sigh, cry, grumble, complain...no need for long talks. LMAO!
It's terrible how things seem to deteriorate daily. From that time until present day. SMH!
If you're Nigerian and/or you understand the pidgin English used in some lyrics, you'll probably shake your head.
Regardless, maybe just enjoy the beats, as even the visual isn't any uplifting.
But really, i think you should listen to the song. Singing it then user to make me feel like a rapper and a gangster too, lol. I used to jump on my toes and shake my head round and round. Eedris made good music. Just enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by.
SOKA馃枻
