Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ruth Kadiri has voiced her concerns over the rising cost of living in Nigeria, lamenting that feeding has become increasingly difficult for many households across the country.
The actress made her feelings known in a video shared on her official Instagram page on Wednesday, where she reflected on the economic challenges facing ordinary Nigerians.
According to Kadiri, the soaring prices of food items and other essential commodities have placed immense pressure on families, making it difficult for many people to afford basic necessities.
She noted that the current economic situation is not only affecting household finances but is also taking a significant psychological toll on citizens who are struggling to make ends meet.
The movie producer highlighted the widening gap between the cost of living and the earnings of average Nigerians, arguing that market prices have risen far beyond what many workers can comfortably afford.
Kadiri further expressed concern that purchasing basic cooking ingredients now consumes a substantial portion of people’s income, leaving little room for other essential expenses.
She said, “As a human being, I’m not known for complaining. But you see, the past couple of days have been so troubling for me. Because if somebody like me can start to feel the brunt of the heaviness of being a human being, I wonder what other people are going through.
“The cost of tomatoes is now so high. Like, somebody will use N5,000 to buy pepper and tomato. Like, N5,000. While somebody else out there is probably earning 25, 30, 40, N50,000. But you are only using 5,000 to buy tomatoes and peppers. A basket of tomatoes, we don’t even want to say that. You know, the cost of feeding, which is basic in Nigeria, is now so high.”
The actress went ahead to analyse how extreme economic pressure alters human behaviour and deteriorates mental well-being, warning that prolonged hardship risks turning citizens against one another as displaced frustration is frequently taken out on innocent relatives.
“I don’t know if they want us to turn against ourselves,” Kadiri continued. “Because people who are not sensitive will start looking at ourselves as the enemies. Poverty, what poverty does to people’s minds is like cancer to the mind, to the brain. It eats it away. I woke up this morning, I’m sober, and I just feel sad for people out there who do not know.
“Because a lot of people are just going to be angry for the sake of it. Angry at their wives, angry at their kids, angry at their husbands. Oh my God.”
