COVID-19: Opportunist nature of Nigerians

In a video twit by one Nigerian dancer, choreographer and fitness coach, Kafayat Oluwatoyin,  she said that Nigerians are the ones dealing with themselves right now. In her words “we are heartless people, especially those  in the market selling things, they’re merciless and evil”. ”A basket of ginger now costs N5000 from previous N1000 because […]

In a video twit by one Nigerian dancer, choreographer and fitness coach, Kafayat Oluwatoyin,  she said that Nigerians are the ones dealing with themselves right now. In her words “we are heartless people, especially those  in the market selling things, they’re merciless and evil”.

”A basket of ginger now costs N5000 from previous N1000 because of greedy fellows who want to make massive profit by all available crooked means”. To draw an inference from her position, it will be astutely apt and pointful to state that an average Nigerian is greedy and wants to manoeuvre his/her ways to quickened wealth accumulation. This is an evil trend that must be curtailed as the end of Corona virus can not be distinctively be predicted yet.

Worthy of note is the experience of the author of this piece in a survey of market activities. The prices of some goods in the Eastern part of Kogi State had little increases, especially the ones supplied from neighbouring States.

Some questions need to be answered, how does Covid-19 aid increase of Bush meat’s price? How does it affect garri made from farm? How does it affect local food items in our village markets? The prodigal intention towards life has pushed even innocent sellers to doing what’s wrong to amass wealth unnecessarily.

A clothe designer, shoe repair specialist, automobile repair specialists have all increased their charges on delivered services in the name of Covid-19, it’s amusing to think of how this came to be. It’s pitiably pathetic to air that most of the inhabitants of Nigeria are kleptomaniacs whose desires for more know no bounds.

To cushion the effects of this lock down on the prices of daily needed things, first, the Government must put in place necessary apparatus for selling prices control. Such laws must be strictly adhered to by market men and women, defaulters who dare to trade anything beyond Government’s approved price should be arrested and prosecuted.

Chigboja Gideon [email protected]