Nothing grows faster than poverty in Nigeria. The situation we are placed in this country is so difficult that we no longer find shame in doing awkward things again.


![000117557726290_20210228_053244_0000.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/profgabs05/86NgRbBH-0001-17557726290_20210228_053244_0000.png) <a href="Made with Canva ">Source</a>


Many years ago when I was still in primary school, in my then community, it's a thing of shame to eat certain foods outside house. Your parents and relatives would think you were purposely doing that to bring disgrace to them and thereby drawing other people's attention to the ugly situation in your house.

Fast forward to now, people don't even care about what you eat or put into your mouth again. As long as you are eating something, even if it's animal dung, you are good to go.

7:36 pm. After 2 hours of nonstop rain and lingering body-freezing cold, a boy comes from a nearby street and steps into a trader's shop opposite my house.

Majestically, he walks up to the trader with a cup in his hands and cheerfully orders for two cups of *garri* (cassava flakes) and N20 *kulikuli* (a form of chip processed locally) in this cold weather.

Another boy of his age waiting for his own one-cup of *garri* (cassava flakes) delivery stands next to him and begins to tease him.

"Dele! Dele! You dey enjoy o! Na only you go finish that two cups of *garri*, abi?" (meaning: Dele, Dele you're really enjoying, are you the one to finish that two cups of cassava flakes) 

"Ah! I didn't eat in the afternoon na. I saved everything on me to make up for this two cups. Na sugar money I dey find now", Dele replies him, stylishly asking maybe he would get sugar from the second guy, too.

"See this one *wey* get two cups of *garri* still dey look for sugar all around. See that one cup I come buy, na me and my brother, Elisha, wann drink am. After tonight's *garri*, tomorrow is another day"


<img src="https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/profgabs05/LBym9qac-20210228_053532_0000.png" alt="20210228_053532_0000.png"> <a href="<em>Made with Canva</em>">Source</a>


Where they stand, another woman rushes in with a nylon in her hands, "Ekale o! Mofe ra *gaari* ilaji abo!!!"(Good evening ma, i want to buy a half container of cassava flakes). 

See, If *garri* contests for election in my local government, it will gather more than 5 million votes 'cause both animals and human beings depend solely on *garri* in this area. It's either *garri* or nothing else. This is why I shake my head anytime see economic analysts saying rubbish about pseudo increase in Nigeria's economy. Please, are those people Nigerians at all?

The poor deserves our care...