FUNMILAYO AREMU-OLAYEMI, IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, MERCY AJIBADE and TOLULOPE OLUGBADE, spoke with Nigerians about how they survived the outgoing year and their hopes for the new year.
As the year 2023 draws to a close in a few hours, the predominant mood among many Nigerians is one of lamentation and grief. Many, in their reflections, noted that the outgoing year was characterised by sorrow and hardship which were fuelled by insecurity, kidnappings, killings, naira and fuel scarcity, low income, inflation, the ever-fluctuating forex and unemployment problems, among others.
Amid many tales of woes that came with 2023, there exists a thread of resilience and coping strategies that some Nigerians depended on as many appear to have adapted to the new normal having adopted some strategies that helped them cope with the hardship that marred the year.
One prominent coping strategy is the reliance on faith and spirituality. Many Nigerians expressed gratitude for having their lives spared holding on to faith as a source of strength and comfort throughout the year.
Despite this, some of them believe that the new year will usher them into an era of peace and tranquillity that will bring out the best in the country. While some Nigerians are hopeful for the situation of the country to improve in the new year, some have lost all hope of a better tomorrow.
Sunday Tribune asked a cross section of citizen how they survived the harsh socio-economic realities of their country and some of them revealed their coping ‘secret’.
For Ebunoluwa Adetunji, a student, 2023 is a year to be remembered: “Is it the naira scarcity or fuel scarcity? I am a student and a businesswoman. Imagine collecting N1,000 with N300 as POS charges during the cash scarcity period. It was hectic.
“I remember waking up early to go and get some cash in the bank. Sometimes, I will come back without getting cash. We had a connection in one petrol station, I would go there, wait and wait before I got some cash for my mother. We are still facing fuel scarcity, yes. Imagine paying N1,000 as transport fare for a journey you naturally should pay N500 for,” she said.
She, however, hoped that 2024 would be a great year with less stress.
A corps member, Daniel Maranatha, who described 2023 as a challenging year, disclosed that he was able to overcome the obstacles of the year because of God’s help.
“Honestly, 2023 was a tremendously challenging year that brought numerous obstacles. It stressed and stretched me. However, I wouldn’t have navigated it without God. Frankly, I don’t comprehend how anyone managed it without saying, ‘God Abeg’ or ‘God help me’ in between.
“I navigated it solely relying on God and the support of people, the brethren in the church. I prayed and allowed God to fight my battles, and truly, at moments when I doubted my survival, God lifted me and provided assistance. His words, comfort, rebukes, and instructions aided me in rising above the challenges of 2023. I look forward to more victories in 2024,” he said.
A teacher and businesswoman, Oluwakemi Anibule, noted that the country’s socio-economic and political events made the year 2023 uniquely challenging but was able to adjust to it.
According to her, “The year 2023 has been ‘amazing’ with so much ‘beauty to behold’. From the cash scarcity to the fuel scarcity to the election saga, to fuel scarcity again, to cash scarcity in December and every other struggle therein.
“Business couldn’t flourish as it ought and whenever I intend to travel to get goods, I think about it twice to make sure it is worth it. I also realised that the cost of transportation within Ibadan wasn’t hiked and I could still move around freely there, but in all, I am trying to adjust to the situation at hand, staying up and strong and most importantly surviving because it doesn’t seem as if these surprises will end soon.”
A public servant, who craved anonymity, revealed that she had to take loans to survive the year and lamented that the removal of petrol subsidy made life difficult for many Nigerians.
“The year is nothing to write home about but I thank God for everything. It was through the help of the Almighty God that I could survive. Since May when this present government removed fuel subsidy, things have not been going right way.
“As a federal government worker, we were not paid when due, I had to take loans to survive and after their deductions the remaining salary is meaningless. The removal of petrol subsidy caused more harm than good in this country. The government is still paying the same minimum wage and the cost of living has gone through the roof, but we thank God for everything. We were promised N35,000 wage award, but up till now they have not fulfilled their promise. Many people did not survive the year.”
Another public servant, who wished to be identified as Olalekan, told Sunday Tribune that the challenges that came with the year were too much that he simply had to adjust to them.
“It is only a person who hasn’t faced challenges that calls himself a man. I just needed to be alive physically, emotionally and spiritually and I never give up on anything. I adjusted to some of the things I could adjust to, and I stayed motivated but it hasn’t been easy,” he said.
A graphics designer, Tosin Olaniyan, also shared his thoughts with Sunday Tribune on the matter, noting that “The year 2023 should be called the year of the survival of the fittest. I was able to survive 2023 with a lot of perseverance, hard work and a lot of managing.
“I had to manage what I had to sustain me throughout the year. My survival strategy is that I don’t spend too much, I only get what is needed and vital and save for the rainy days because no one knows how high prices of goods and services will get. My motto throughout the year was ‘Operation Save to Survive’.”
A public servant, Mr Yemi Afolabi, who also spoke with Sunday Tribune, revealed that he resorted to taking loans as his salary has not been constant and had to be prudent to survive the year.
According to him, “It has not been easy, since the removal of fuel subsidy, what we call our take-home pay doesn’t even take us to the bus stop. Many promises of the government, like the wage award, haven’t been paid. My salary is not constant anymore. I was one of the people canvassing for votes for the current president, we thought we would enjoy it once he gets elected. It has not been easy. I am mobile and, in a week, I used to spend N15,000 on fuel and I buy from NNPC because it’s cheaper there.
“The prices of food items are at an all high. People no longer take three-square meals anymore. I am a level 15 officer in the civil service but I have responsibilities; my children are in school and they have tuition fees and other bills. Accommodation fees increased constantly. It seems the government is not up to the task of paying us our dues, we have arrears that are yet to be paid.”
Despite all these challenges, Mr Afolabi remains grateful to God because he can make ends meet, adding that “We thank God, it is not what we earn that we spend. As I am talking to you, we are yet to be paid. Having savings is not possible and appropriate measures have to be put in place, to let all the promises of the government be implemented. The minimum wage also has to be reviewed periodically, every ten years.”
On his coping strategies, he disclosed that he has been prudent by reducing his diet to two square meals per day and taking loans. “I take two square meals per day and when it is not comfortable, I don’t drive anymore. I live in an uncompleted building and there’s no way I can improve the building because there are other more urgent responsibilities. Some of us get loans, there is one called ‘sharp-sharp’ and the interest rate is too high. To settle my children’s school fees, I have to borrow sometimes,” he said.
A student, Titilayo Oladimeji, who also spoke with Sunday Tribune, disclosed that her strategy for survival will always be prayer and expressed gratitude to God despite the challenges of the year.
She said: “2023 was not that year for me but in the midst of it all I still thank God. Sometimes, I wonder how people go through life without God because my survival strategy was, is and will always be God. God has kept me sane amid every chaos that 2023 brought. I thank God always even when things don’t go as planned because nothing can steal my joy, not even 2023. The word of God has been my watchword. My family and friends also assisted me in coping with the year’s hardships.”
Another corps member, Joy Orode, who also spoke with Sunday Tribune revealed that she employed several coping strategies like investing in dollars and making purchases immediately to avoid buying at a higher price later.
“The country witnessed major inflation in the prices of goods and services which left most citizens helpless as their wages and salaries were rendered useless.
“A prime inconvenience in the year 2023 for me was the naira scarcity. It stalled many business transactions that would otherwise have been closed in a day. I became accustomed to the changes and made adjustments to my everyday life. I make conscious efforts to remember the constraints on the naira and work with it.
“In Nigeria, we often neglect products for their outrageous prices and wait for the prices to drop before purchasing. This is no longer true as 2023 taught us all that you should buy a product as you see it because when you later return for it, the prices might have tripled. I have also let myself be swayed into investing in dollars as the naira kept depreciating. These are the little ways I’ve tried to keep sane in a year that has been so tasking,” she disclosed.
An accountant who chose to be identified as Gbenga also lamented the challenges that the year brought. He noted that he had to employ some ludicrous strategies he had to employ to survive the year.
In his words, “The year was the most difficult for many people. I had to cut down on everything due to inflation. My salary, which has been the same for the past eight years and has not been paid for three months now, is not even enough to buy a 50kg bag of rice which is now sold at around N61,000.
“Transporting myself to work has also been difficult as the cost of transportation has gone up ever since the removal of the petrol subsidy in May. Most times, I trek to work and back. I would rather reserve that daily transportation fare for food. I started this year on a two-square meal plan, now, I struggle to maintain that and on days when I don’t go to work, I make sure I sleep till the afternoon, and miss breakfast before I settle for whatever is available as lunch.
“I also resorted to taking loans to make ends meet. I am currently owing three loan apps. Everything about the year has been so difficult. The condition of the country has made it difficult to save money. In a couple of months, my rent will have to be renewed but I am thinking of a downgrade. I currently live in a self-contained apartment, but I am going to have to move to a single room because I cannot afford to keep paying for my place.”
He added further, “With the situation of the country, especially the economy, it doesn’t look like things will improve in the new year. I believe Nigerians should be prepared as the worst is yet to come.”
According to Christianah Adegbite, many Nigerians had to go into businesses and take loans to get by. She said: “The year 2023 was no doubt filled with its challenges, however, it is evident that people were still able to survive amid the trying times as many individuals depended on multiple sources of income. Individuals who weren’t entrepreneurs were forced to go into business including students who have been known to solely rely on their parents. In other words, business was the order of the day. Some people survived this period through the help of cooperative societies that provided opportunities for loans for people.”
She noted, however, that “this doesn’t rule out the fact that there are the underprivileged people who could neither borrow nor go to business but had to engage themselves in menial jobs and also live off the rich in the society.”
A student, Temitayo Ibitayo, noted that contentment helped her survive the year, noting that “contentment is one of the major ways we have been able to overcome the challenges we came across in 2023. By planning ahead of time because if you fail to plan, definitely you plan to fail. We all know each year comes with its challenges. We prepare our minds ahead to face whichever challenges we encounter, always with a positive mindset that surely, we will overcome.
“Also, by having a solution mindset, we don’t see challenges and cry but we face challenges and solve them. Challenges are inevitable, they will surely come but our level of patience and endurance will strengthen us and help us to not give up.
“Knowing the difference between our needs and wants is one of the ways we overcome challenges. We place priority on our needs rather than our wants because human wants are insatiable. My point is incomplete if I don’t say that with the help of God, we overcome challenges. We came, we saw, and we conquered,” Ibitayo said.
Despite the stories of hardship, Tosin Akinyemi, on the other hand, revealed that he thrived and excelled in the year 2023.
According to him, “At the risk of sounding arrogant and of course the notion of pedestal people will assume I occupy, I would like to submit that, I didn’t survive 2023; I thrived. The balance to this is that thriving is not a holistic successful journey. It is winning, the challenges notwithstanding.
“2023 came with its waves and turbulence but I managed to not only scale the hurdles but also excel.
“I believe being a Nigerian is first a burden. A man once said, ‘You don’t have to do anything to be poor, just be a Nigerian’. He said this because poverty is captured in our conversations, it is in our culture, it is the picture our parents painted for us, it is found in our ways of life, revealed in our thinking, and discussed in our environment.
“If all these are the lots of average Nigerians, then inflation is just a catalyst, bad governance is just a fuel – like a salt on injury. I speak for myself. 2023 was rough, but I won,” Akinyemi disclosed.
Another corps member, Precious Ariyo, told Sunday Tribune that her strategy for survival in the year 2023 was prayer and hope for a better tomorrow. She added “Many of the challenges I faced were anchored on financial instability. I was able to solve some of these challenges because of my savings, and contributions and avoiding unnecessary spending. God was the one who helped me through it all.”
For Adeyemi Adewusi Samuel, learning a skill, networking and effective budgeting were the strategies he used to navigate the year.
According to him, “A lot happened this year and surviving 2023 was not easy but I made sure I kept going and I learnt some skills which helped me in some areas. I also met people from different parts of the country during a youth programme that gave me the connection and the opportunity to be able to involve myself in things that would push me forward.
“I also started a small business with which I used to sort out my needs. We all know how expensive things are now, so I budgeted for things I needed every time to avoid overspending and it helped me overcome some financial challenges. 2023 wasn’t an easy year but I was focused and made sure it didn’t pull me down.”
Both Ayomide Adeola and John Olukayode believe that their trust and faith in God helped them survive the year.
Adeola noted that prayer, endurance and faith were his coping strategies for the year 2023. He said: “I have to say all thanks to God because there were a lot of ups and downs, emotionally, physically and financially during the year but I kept on going till I got the result. Prayer, endurance and faith are the three things I held onto on the journey.
He also advised Nigerians to have faith and pray through trying times. “The journey will get rough at some point but because it is going to get smoother and result in joy, don’t stop praying and having faith in whatever you’re doing, get something going on for yourself the same way you’re praying to get your destination, a plan b makes the journey easier,” he admonished.
On his part, Olukayode said: “From the beginning of the year, I kept my hopes and trust in God because I had a lot of things to deal with. I trusted him and l kept doing what I was doing in the previous years and it brought more gains and I was able to survive the year even when things were hard.”
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