Christian residents in Zamfara State expressed concern over the upcoming 2023 Christmas celebration, anticipating a subdued atmosphere due to soaring prices of essential goods and food items required for the festivity.
They highlighted the persistent and unchecked rise in food prices, attributing it partly to the scarcity of the Naira currency. Madam Blessing, speaking from Gusau, the state capital, shared her distress, noting that their usual Christmas tradition of traveling to their village might not happen this year due to economic hardships.
“This is a celebration that occurs once in a year, which Christians all over the world are supposed to be comfortable and rejoicing, but here we are searching for money to even buy foodstuffs for the family”, she lamented.
Another resident, Godwin Enoch, said the whole situation was terrible, stressing that “today is 10th December, and I have not purchased a single cloth for any of my children due to the serious economic hardships facing us.”
This medium also visited Gusau Central Market and discovered that business activities were moving with the lowest ebbs as the traders were lamenting low patronage from the buyers.
According to one Uchendu Nwosu, “things may change to our favour before then but as at now, we are facing serious teething economic challenges.”
He expressed dissatisfaction over the economic situation in the country, blaming the economic hardship on mismanagement of Nigeria’s resources by some cliques.
Uchendu explained that poverty and leprosy are twins, adding that the difference is that leprosy attacks the body while poverty attacks the mind.
“What we are witnessing in Nigeria today is that the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. On the celebration of Christmas, we should leave that to Jesus whom we are celebrating his birthday. He is a great provider and will surely provide for his children,” he said.