VIDEO: Actress Ruth Kadiri speaks on high cost of living

Actress Ruth Kadiri has shared her worries about the increasing cost of living in Nigeria. In an Instagram video posted on Wednesday, she said that basic food has become very expensive for the average person.

In the video, Ruth opened up about her feelings. She said the current economic situation is putting a lot of stress on families across the country. She is particularly worried about how much basic food items now cost.

Kadiri highlighted the gap between what people earn each month and the prices of things in the market. She noted that just buying essential ingredients can take away a large part of a person's earnings.

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 on to talk about how tough economic conditions affect people's behavior and mental health. She warned that continued hardship can lead to anger among citizens, with frustrations often directed at family members.

“I don’t know if they want us to turn against ourselves,” Kadiri said. “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.”