The just concluded 2024 Christmas and New Year celebrations saw many residents of Abuja at the cross roads of economic hardship and enduring resilience, as families were compelled to make difficult choices between tradition and survival. REGINA OTOKPA reports
2024 has been a bleak year for majority of parents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as they struggled to provide food, basic amenities, pay their house rents and children school fees as well as attend to the high cost of transportation amidst other contending needs.
Many spent a good part of the year unsure of where their next meal would come from, as the economy continued to bite harder with each passing day.
Despite the hardship, many families have always looked forward to Christmas and New Year celebrations to connect, have fun, network and create memorable memories with other family members, friends, acquaintances, neighbours and even strangers.
Sadly, many households had to forgo their Christmas traditions due to the daunting economic hardship. Every family deserves comfort and joy at Christmas, but with food inflation soaring above 40 percent in the FCT, this year’s Christmas celebration was very stressful and difficult as many still struggled to maintain a shadow of their usual Christmas celebrations.
The prospect of a festive meal, a decorated tree, or a gift exchange was nothing more than a luxury many could no longer afford.
Christmas cloth
Amongst many of the anticipations that greets Christmas celebrations is the tradition of getting at least a new pair of shoes, clothing and other fancy accessories such as jeweleries, eye glasses etc for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year celebrations.
However, such was not to be the case, as many were unable to afford new clothes due to their high cost. Many resorted to making do with available clothing for their children rather than spend a fortune on a single wear.
Joycelyn Akinboade was one of such mother’s. Her seven children were “understanding and considerate,” given that payment of school fees was just around the corner.
“Before now my children can boast of at least three to four new pairs of clothing’s by this time every year, spread across Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year. We couldn’t afford them, even a pair of new socks this year.
Things are too expensive.normally buy their clothing’s between October and November when they are cheaper before the December rush sets in. You won’t believe just one Turkey gown as at that time was going for N80,000 and N70,000 the other Aba gowns were as high as N30,000.
The clothing for the boys are even more expensive. Shoes for my girls were as high as N20,000. “When we calculated one pair of clothing and shoes for seven of them the total was scary.
We have not talked of food mind you, school fees is just two to three weeks away,” she said. Mr. Michael threw away pride and was digging in with other women to purchase second hand clothing’s commonly known as okirirka for his three children.
“My wife said the money I gave her for Christmas shopping was too small. She rejected it. I saw women selecting clothes so I joined them. At all, at all, Na em bad pass, make dem see clothe wear,” he said.
A boutique owner at the Maitama Ultra Modern Market, Kubwa, Mrs Foluke Adeyemi lamented that unlike previous year’s, the sales was extremely poor. “To start with, I had to borrow money to purchase new goods for the season because sales generally has been very poor all through the year.
I’m not happy because people are not buying what I suffered and struggled to get. They are underpricing. It’s so bad that even at the cost price they are still refusing to buy, they said the clothes are too expensive.”
Food sharing
Although residents of the FCT love to stay private, many have continued the tradition of sharing of food and drinks in the celebration of love to mark the season.
However while many locked their doors, some had left the comfort of their homes as they couldn’t afford buying enough foodstuffs to go round neighbour and friends.
Only few took the pains to cook and share. This is because a chicken that cost N15,000 as of last year was sold at between N30,000 to N35,000 except for old layers which were sold at about N20,000.
While a bag of quality rice went for over N100,000, 25 liters of Kings vegetable oil sold for N110,000 and Terra oil N95,000. These prices are simply out of reach for many Nigerians, forcing them to make difficult choices about how to allocate their limited resources.
As a result, many families had to scale back their Christmas celebrations or forego them altogether. Some have even gone as far as leaving their homes to avoid receiving visitors, while others told friends and family not to bother coming Antonia Madaki noted, that only few persons cooked and shared food this year.
“Things are expensive. I shared but not to the dimension I am known for. That is because everything is super expensive. From oil to onions we can’t buy anything.”
Travelling ritual
It was not possible for many FCT residents to journey home for the Christmas and New Year as it had suddenly become a luxury for many. Some of the buses had to travel half empty due to poor patronage.
A journey from Abuja to Lagos that previously cost N28,000 went as high as N60,000. Julius Obioma said that he paid N120,000 to obtain two seats to enable his family travel to Enugu.
“This is besides money for internal transport when they get to Enugu, one or two things they need to buy while .on transit and when they get to Enugu.
We have not even talked about the money they will spend for the celebrations and the one they will spend coming back to Abuja.
“It was never my intention to stay behind but I needed to because the expenses is already too much,” he said A teacher, Gloria Obalonye noted that “this is the first time I didn’t travel home for the holidays.
The transport is too much. I just spent some money home.” The situation is even more dire for air travelers, with fares seeing a staggering 218 per cent increase since June.
A one-way ticket from Abuja to Lagos cost between N220,000 and N285,000, forcing many to abandon air travel entirely. Although the Federal Government attempted to ease the burden with initiatives including 50 per cent rebates on transport fares, free Compressed Natural Gas bus services, and free train transportation in Abuja.
However, these measures provide little comfort to many families who found it difficult to ensure the crowd and hardship that came with accessing the offer.
Acts of kindness
Despite the challenges, the religious significance of Christmas remains a beacon of hope for many Nigerians. Churches across the country did not fault to hold vibrant Christmas services where they emphasizing the birth of Christ as a symbol of renewal and salvation.
The Churches urged Christians to display acts of kindness to those struggling and without food or clothing.
According to clerics, the true essence of Christmas is love, compassion, and unity remains crucial despite the economic hardship that was affecting the generality of Nigerians.
They encouraged small gestures such as sharing meals, visiting loved ones, or volunteering time to help those in need.
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