As Nigeria grapples with soaring inflation and economic instability, staples like beef, tomatoes, and bread, once commonplace, have become highly priced luxury items. GODFREY GEORGE writes that families are now making profound adjustments to their eating habits and lifestyles by reverting to traditional, cheaper alternatives F or Comfort Soberekon, a 47-year-old mother of six residing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, chicken and beef have transformed from staples to luxury items, a stark reminder of the growing economic strain on many Nigerian families. As a petty trader trying to navigate the pressures exerted on her by inflation and managing the household with limited resources, Comfort has had to make significant changes to how she provides for her family.
In a conversation with our correspondent on Tuesday, Comfort’s words were a blend of resignation and humour. “Ponmo is the way o,” she said with a lighthearted chuckle, referring to cow skin, which has become her family’s primary source of protein, substituting beef and chicken. This just masks a deeper truth—the escalating costs of traditional protein options have forced her to adjust her food budget in ways she never anticipated.
Comfort’s family dynamic has shifted dramatically. With her eldest son, a budding fashion designer, recently moving out to pursue his career, and her eldest daughter settling into a job she secured with a hospitality outfit in Delta State, the burden of caring for the remaining four.