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Why classism might be making everything more expensive in Nigeria

Almost everyone wants to be the odogwu doling out wads of naira notes like it’s nothing. Musicians glorify fast wealth and reckless spending. Lower-income earners are silenced into accepting they are ‘not the target audience’. This is Nigeria, an unbelievably classist society.
Maybe it will be difficult to come to terms with such a reality because it might require us to confront our own demons. And we are just not ready yet. [Freepik]
Maybe it will be difficult to come to terms with such a reality because it might require us to confront our own demons. And we are just not ready yet. [Freepik]

The prices of nearly everything have skyrocketed in recent years, from regular staple food to the rising cost of entertainment.

The populace continue to bemoan the unprecedented times. But it might be the very people who contribute to their own plight.

At what point do we come together as a society to recognise the harrowing impacts of our classist attitudes fueled by ignorance, inferiority complex, and globalisation on the present inflation rate?

Maybe it will be difficult to come to terms with such a reality because it might require us to confront our own demons. And we are just not ready yet.

ALSO READ: The Rising Cost of Entertainment: What DSTV, GOTV, and Netflix price hikes mean for Nigerians

Still we persist, falling victims to the traps enabled by our willful inattention. It’s right there staring at us.

Our movies imply it; musicians harp on it in their lyrics; the privileged tech professionals feed into the narrative. It's almost as though we need a garment of self-importance to cover the shame we carry deep within us.

It's a shame so deep-rooted that we cannot imagine existing any other way without it. We must prove our own worth through the prices of items we buy.

Yet we moan ‘everything is so expensive’ at every turn, failing to recognise the role we also play in it all.

ALSO READ: These 5 Nigerian states are the most expensive to live in

At the very least, we can become aware of our (sometimes unconscious) participation in the ridiculously over-inflated prices of items, services and products that should ordinarily be affordable.

Again, it needs to be said that the problem isn’t always ‘the government’. Sometimes, the people should also take accountability for their (in)actions.

While it won't be easy to look inwards and accept our own shortcomings and complicity, it would get to a point where we might need to accept the uncomfortable truth whether or not we like it.

It could just be the crucial liberation we need from the self-imposed shackle we may have un(knowingly) entangled ourseves in.

Unless we state the stinging obvious and set delusion ablaze, it may remain, sadly, one long tiresome road that really leads to nowhere.

ALSO READ: Nigeria must embrace economic fundamentals to tame inflation - Cardoso

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