Nollywood actress Ruth Kadiri has voiced her concern over the rising cost of living in Nigeria, stating that even individuals in her position are beginning to feel the economic pressure. She shared her thoughts in a video posted on Instagram on June 10, where she reflected on the growing difficulty of affording basic food items.
Kadiri explained that she is not usually one to complain, but recent days have left her deeply troubled. In the video, she said, "Good morning, Nigerians. As a human being, I'm not one that is known for complaining, but you see, this past couple of days has 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."
She highlighted the soaring prices of tomatoes and peppers, noting that 5,000 naira is now spent on just those items, while many Nigerians earn between 25,000 and 50,000 naira monthly. "Cost of tomatoes is now so high. Like somebody will use 5,000 naira to buy pepper and tomato, while somebody else out there is probably earning 25, 30, 40, 50k, but you are only using 5k to buy tomato and pepper. Basket of tomato, we don't even want to say that. You know, the cost of feeding, which is basic in Nigeria, is now so high," she said.
Kadiri warned that hardship could cause people to turn against one another, describing poverty as something that eats away at the mind. "I don't know if they want us to turn against ourselves, because people that are not sensitive would start looking at ourselves as the enemies. Poverty, what poverty does to people's mind? It's like cancer to the mind, to the brain. It eats it away," she added.
The actress said she woke up feeling sober and sad, worried about those who may take out their frustrations on loved ones. "I woke up this morning, I'm sober, you know, and I just feel sad for people out there who do not know. Because a lot of people are just gonna be angry for the sake of it. Angry at their wives, angry at their kids, angry at their husbands," she stated.
Following her emotional social media post, many concerned Nigerians agreed with her observations while sharing their personal economic struggles. Social media users reacted with comments such as: "When the wealthy are crying, the poor are already suffocating. If our stars are feeling the heat, the average Nigerian is surviving on pure, unadulterated grace. It's no longer a cost of living crisis; it's a cost of surviving crisis. May Nigeria not happen to us." Another user wrote, "My dear, high cost of living is everywhere now because of increase in the price of petrol. But Nigeria's government should do something about it." Others commented, "Bandits everywhere, what did you expect? Food price will rise now. That's why people are getting poorer everyday and the government doesn't even care," and "When the rich are crying, the poor are already bleeding. There is really no middle class left in Nigeria right now."
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ruth Kadiri raised her voice against growing insecurity in Nigeria in a direct message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Her May 20 outcry followed the tragic killing of Mr. Michael Oyedokun, a teacher executed by terrorists after the Oyo school kidnapping incident, where 46 people were taken. The movie star urged the president to protect lives, stating that innocent Nigerians are suffering from problems they know nothing about and are unsafe even in their homes.
