Economy In Crisis!!!
On a good day, it’s easy to see certain things and just buy them, regardless of the price. Even if it looks like the traders are only trying to extort money from their customers. However, the idea is that if you really need it, then you’d be willing to pay whatever the price is to get it. And that’s something that has been pushing some traders to charge exorbitant prices for things that have no business being that expensive.
I know that with the rising cost of food and other amenities, with transportation playing a huge role and fuel being so damn expensive, and then also the unavoidable fact that insecurity has really dealt with us in the worst way, affecting our food supply. Many things are expected to rise and stay up until these issues are fixed. However, there are some that, despite the circumstances, just don’t deserve those high prices.
I don’t know how it is in other parts of the country, but for me, I’ve been finding it hard to buy plantain. People who used to sell it before no longer do because it doesn’t really move as it should. It’s a slow product, and if you’re not careful, it could end up rotting in your shop. So, many refuse to stock it. And the few people like us who want to get it anyway can’t find it.
Sometimes, if you need it, you’ll have to go to the main market, and that’s always a hassle. Besides being a bit far and also stressful, I just don’t enjoy the trip. This year alone, I’ve gone to the main market zero times! Exactly! That’s just how much I try my best to avoid it. The only other market I’ve been to was when I went to the Arena to get some clothes and stuff, which I bought in bulk. And mind you, Arena is pretty far from where I live.
Anyway, on my way home a few days back, I saw a small shop at the side of the road, and this young lady had a tray. On this tray, she displayed bunches of plantain. They were neat and looked voluptuous. Just judging by the looks, I was already scared because I could tell that she would charge exorbitantly for it. After all, in this Lagos, I’ve bought plantain for 5k and even 7k before. One bunch ooo!
However, it wasn’t all that expensive. There were two categories; one bunch type held only four plantains, and that one was sold for 1500. The other category held about six or seven plantains in the bunch. And that was sold for 3k. But boy, they were big. The kind that when you want to slice them for frying, each one could get you nothing less than 11-12 slices that were thick enough to really enjoy them.
So, I bought some and I made sure that I noted the location of her shop. Every once in a while, we come across people who unlike others, trade with a conscience. They’re not just there because they want to make as much money from people as possible. Yeah, we all agree that things are hard, but you don’t have to make it harder just for your selfish gains. You can make profits as a trader and still be compassionate.
This isn’t just with plantain. You’d find it with yams, onions, and even garlic. Fresh tomatoes used to be in this category as well, but they soon stopped. I remember a time when 1k would only get you four balls of tomatoes. Now, it’s different. You can get something decent with even 500 naira. We’re having an economic crisis, but sadly, many people are simply taking advantage of it. Those in the real estate industry are doing it, those in the petroleum industry are doing it, and even those in the automobile industry are doing it as well.
No one cares about their fellow man, and it’s just making things worse. We really need regulation, because at this point, we’re our own enemies!
I know that economic condition of many countries are not good in recent time but the things should be be that expensive. The traders add extra charge by themselves and making it more difficult for us. At least I never trust the word of traders as they always think about their profit rather than customer's satisfaction.
Yeah... so it's best to always think for yourself. If not, the traders will take everything you have without remorse.