HOW THE FUEL SUBSIDY SCAM AFFECTED MY FAMILY

It was a hot afternoon. I was at my friend’s house. We were chatting and I was at the same time scrolling down the timeline on my twitter account when suddenly i saw a new tweet saying the PPRA has increased the price of a litre of Premium Motor Spirit or petrol as we all know it, from 65 Naira to 141 Naira. I was shocked! Completely devastated! The first thing that came to my mind was “is this man well at all?” “On New Year’s Day?” “Is this man is a politician at all?” I wasn’t myself. My friend told me later in the day that we were talking when suddenly i paused, stared at my phone then stood up and started walking home. On reaching home, I called on my mum to tell her about what i just read. She told me it was a lie, that it is just one of those lies people spread on the net. That the price of fuel will not be increased until April. There was no electric power supply then, so we waited till the next hour, on the hour to tune a radio station for the news and alas! It was true. I turned off the radio and we all sat down in silence. No one spoke to the other. I then stood up and went to my room. I sat on the couch for some minutes then went to lie down on my bed, thinking of the consequences of this sad development. I had recently concluded my NYSC in Zaria and still had my properties there which need to go and bring home. How much will it cost me now? I thought. I also needed to travel to Sokoto to apply for my transcript to be sent to the University i am applying for my masters. It cost 2500 Naira to go to Sokoto by Taxi before, how much will it cost now? If the tuition fee for Universities increase, will my dad be able to sponsor me? All these and many other thoughts were running through my mind. At night I was not able to sleep until it was close to the break of down. When I woke up the first thing to come to my mind was the increase in fuel price. I laid on my bed thinking. How is it that Nigeria produces crude oil and yet we have to pay so much for petrol? I could also not understand the issue of fuel subsidy, how can u be producing crude oil, own refineries and yet still be importing refined petrol. I related it to a farmer who cultivates maize and then sells it and then goes to the market to buy maize flour at very high cost, when he also owns grinding machine he could use to get his flour from the maize and also use the chaff to feed his animals. I couldn’t understand Nigeria. I then left my bed, went to greet my mum as it was the tradition every morning. On reaching her room, I met her on her praying mat, sitting and tears dripping down from her face. I was devastated. I asked why was she was crying. She said it was because of the fuel price increase. She was completely confused. She doesn’t see how her salary and my dad's will be able to make ends meet in the house with how she forecasts the cost of living will sky rocket. It is certain that school fees will increase, the pocket money they send to my two sisters in university will no longer be enough for them plus she does not see how feasible it is for her to continue driving her car to work any longer. She also supports our grandmother with allowances and could not see how all these will be possible now. I was consoling her when my junior ones came back and said no bikeman was willing to take them to Islamic school at 50 naira now. All the ones they stopped are asking for a 100 naira. I gave them two hundred naira. In the afternoon, they were given same. “That is four hundred naira a day for transportation” my mum said and then burst into tears again. I consoled her. The next day, they were given their lunch and were asked to stay in the school till after the afternoon session before they come back home. The price of a sachet of pure water increased to ten naira. The price of a bag of rice increased to close to double its former price and so my dad was only to buy half bag when he went to the market. Our lifestyle began to change. We were not able to use the generator again. We now had to fill bottles with water to put in the fridge for drinking and topping up airtime became a luxury . Our lifestyle became ‘Spartan’. Only what was necessary was done. When the ‘Occupy Nigeria’ protest began, my mum encouraged me to join as this madness should not be allowed to continue. We went to our Freedom square day in Day out. After days of struggle, the President gave a national address announcing the ‘increase’ in fuel price from 65 naira to 97 naira because the Government can no longer afford to pay for the subsidisation of petrol. NLC called of their strike, civil societies were livid and the rest is now history. We are still alive and living as a family, trying to live through each day as it comes and surviving by the Grace of God. ALHAMDULLILLAH