 |
| Image credit: Premium Times |
Food For
Thought:
‘’And above all things have fervent charity
among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins’’. Bible: 1
Peter 4:8
Preamble: On Monday,
March 30, 2020, President Buhari abruptly ordered a two-week lockdown of Lagos,
Abuja and Ogun State to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic sweeping
across the world. The lockdown came into force on Monday night meaning there
was little time for people to prepare, buy foodstuffs etc. Even if there was enough
time, many Nigerians don't have the wherewithal to stockpile essential commodities
because many depend on subsistence income to eke out a living. Few days into the stay-at-home
directive, a crisis within a crisis – hunger virus or
HUVID-20 is emerging in Nigeria. Nigerians are confronted with hyper-inflation
in the prices of food and essential commodities. A paint
container of garri hitherto sold for N500 in most parts of Lagos state now goes
for as much as N1,500, a 300% increase. Same applies to other food items.
People are struggling to feed, pay bills and survive. The butterfly-effect
will be potential increase in crime. We hear folks are stealing foodstuffs. Folks reportedly broke into the office of the LCDA Chairman
at Oké-Odo, Lagos state and carted away COVID-19 relief materials.
