HOW RICE BECAME GOLD

Gradually, gradually, just like the setting of the sun, the price of rice in Nigeria is slowly and steadily becoming more like the price of gold. Rice cereal which is the predominant food in every household here in Nigeria has become almost the price of gold in the market.

Rice is a general food you must find on the table of every house (both rich and poor). There is no person or people in respective of their culture, nature and tribe and tradition who does not eat rice. You would often here people say they are allergic to certain kind of food but not rice.

Nigerians may be allergic to beans, yam, portage, Garri, corn, eba, FUFU,, etc. It is most unlikely to find a Nigeria. Who is allergic to rice. Rice is a predilection over any kind of food in this country.

Prior to the inception of APC government, a bag of rice was #8000 (50kg) in the market. Gradually, in less than one year, in 2016, it moved to #10,000 per bag. Then in 2017 it jumped to #15,000 per bag. Coming down to the 2018, a bag of rice moved to #18,000 per bag.

In the year 2019 - 2020, when the government of Buhari in it own 'divine wisdom' thought it wise to ban the importation of rice into the country, all land borders were closed and the price of one bag of rice skyrocketed to #23,000.

In the preceding year, 2021, the price kept going up. At a point it was sold at #26,000 to #27,000. In some places, most especially in the western part of the country a bag goes for #28,500.

As we step into the new year, currently, a bag of rice (50kg) is been sold at #32,000 in the market. While the minimum wage of an average worker in the country is almost the same as the price of a bag of rice (#30,000). Mind you, some States in the country are still struggling to pay the minimum wage.

It is so unfortunate that rice has now become more precious than gold in the eyes of millions of Nigerians. Rice, sooner or later would now become more expensive than gold at the rate with which the price keeps increasing.

An average family in this country can no longer eat rice on a daily basis. I overheard a close neighbor of mine saying, 'we now eat rice only once in a week'.

this is so pathetic! This is so disheartening; little wonder why Nigeria has now become the headquarter of poverty in the world. May God help my country, Amen!

BY PATRICK JAMES

+2348138534313

jamesboro1987@gmail.com