Yuletide—encompassing Christmas and the surrounding period, with its festivities—is viewed by many as a season of warmth, love, and peace, with Christmas itself marking the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Yuletide is characterised by merriment, travel, recreation, charity and gatherings, among others, which promote social integration, peace and love.
Yearly, many families buy foodstuffs and other commodities some months or weeks before Yuletide due to increases in the prices of such items, which often characterise the season.
Increases in services, including transportation, also characterise the Yuletide season every year.
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Analysts are worried that the demands of Yuletide put pressure on many Nigerians, with some spending more than necessary and even taking loans, while unpatriotic individuals engage in stealing, fraud and other vices to raise money.
They believe that celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and the New Year should not impose such pressure on Nigerians.
Analysts also argue that the price increases are not real but exploitative.
A social scientist, Dr Adebowale Lasisi, says Nigerians have the penchant to take advantage of any opportunity to exploit others.
He says the exploitation is a reflection of greed and unpatriotism.
“The craving to take advantage of others or cash in on a season such as Yuletide to exploit people through increases in prices of goods and services should not arise,” he said.
Describing the trend as a social deformity, Lasisi said that with social security in place, such a situation would not occur.
Lasisi, a university lecturer, called on governments and civil society organisations to help put an end to the trend.
A former Imam of Lagos State University, Prof. Amidu Sanni, described such increases as retrogressive.
Sanni said that instead of adding flavour to Yuletide, the trend dispossesses people of the purchasing power needed to celebrate the period.
“It has become an ugly tradition for prices of consumables such as rice, condiments and confectionery, as well as services such as transport, to increase during this period without just cause.
“As a people, we must reverse this trend that serves no good.
“The worst is that any price that goes up never comes down, irrespective of economic measures geared toward price reduction by governments,” he said.
He regretted that this Yuletide, some inter-state transport fares increased by over 65 per cent, leaving many travellers stranded.
Mr Ogwuchukwu Ezeodili, a manager at the Alaba, Ojo, Lagos State Luxury Bus Park, blamed the increase on bad roads.
The transport manager described Yuletide as a time of upsurge in the number of travellers, saying that the poor condition of some roads, their wear and tear on vehicles, and the high cost of vehicle maintenance contributed to the increase in transport fares.
Another transporter, Mr Andrew Bioseh, observed that increased fares had compelled many travellers to opt for night travel despite the associated risks.
Bioseh noted that before Thursday (Christmas Day), transport fares from Lagos to Aba, Abia State, ranged between ₦28,000 and ₦30,000 during the daytime, while night travel cost ₦22,000.
According to him, daytime bus fares to Aba now stand at ₦42,000, while night bus fares are ₦33,000.
A traveller, Ms Ijeoma Ekezie, said she preferred night travel during festive periods to save costs and avoid overcrowding associated with daytime travel.
Bishop Charles Ighele of the Holy Spirit Church, Ikeja, warned that exploitation of any kind is a sin and should be avoided for personal and societal progress.
In a statement on Sunday, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) warned that exploitative or unfair practices by road transport operators would attract regulatory sanctions.
In the statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC said the warning followed complaints over arbitrary fare hikes by inter-city road transport operators across the country.
The commission acknowledged that seasonal demand, operational pressures and other legitimate cost factors might affect transport pricing.
“However, consumers are entitled to clear, accurate and timely information on fares before travel. Any fare adjustment must therefore be transparently communicated and applied fairly,” it said.
Analysts urged collective efforts by governments, market associations, transport unions, civil society and other stakeholders to eradicate unwarranted increases in the cost of essential commodities and services during Yuletide, in the interest of the masses.
NAN Features
