By Nudoiba Ojen
Some women in Lagos have opened up about the significant economic challenges they face in maintaining their households in view of the present hard time.
The women, including mothers and a civil servant, describe the struggles they endure to make ends meet.
Mrs Abiola, a mother of four, says that her family’s expenses have increased significantly, and her husband’s monthly allowance barely covers their needs for two weeks.
According to her, when she newly got married, she usually saved some money from the monthly allowance she received from her husband.
She says that the reverse is the case now, saying that what she receives as feeding allowance hardly sustains the family for two weeks.
Hear her, “I have to wake up as early as 4.00a.m. to begin the hustle for the day and close by 6.00p.m.
“Marriage is boring and uninteresting because the time for husband and wife to be together has been put into hustling” she says.
Mrs Ronke, a mother of three, says that she hasn’t received financial support from her husband in a long time and has taken on menial jobs to supplement their income.
Ronke says that the financial responsibilities have been shared and each of them takes up his or her responsibilities.
According to her, the present economic challenges have rendered some husbands mere figure heads in spite of the energy they put up on daily basis to make ends meet.
She says that she has to do menial jobs like sweeping of compounds, cooking soup for the elderly and home cleaning on daily basis to make ends meet.
Also, Mrs Busayo, a mother of two and former fashion designer, says she switched to selling food to make ends meet after her husband’s business has issues.
Busayo, who says that food is one of the businesses now thriving, explains that her husband had to join the food business and closed his business centre because he no longer received patronage.
She says that some women have taken up the main financial expenses at homes, while their husbands only rendered support.
For a civil servant and a mother of three, Mrs Chima, it is loans that she says ahe has been relying on to support her household, as her take-home pay is insufficient.
Okeke says that managing the home financially needs prudence, saying, “As a civil servant, I had to obtain loans to keep the home going,’.
Also, a pastor, Mrs Adefunke, says that many women seek financial assistance at her church, and some engage in multiple menial jobs daily to provide for their families.
According to Adefunke, there is no day a woman would not come to the church soliciting for meal, adding, “Before now, the church used to have philanthropists who donated voluntarily, but things have changed. Now, the church authorities have to announce before getting few donations.
“Some women go into four or five menial works on daily basis to keep the home going,” the cleric said.
