…They survived due to their trust in God, not govt — Bishop Nwokolo
…Leaders should focus attention at home, encourage the people, stop travelling to countries built by other leaders
…Nothing good to talk about 2025, but thank God we survived — Owerri residents
…We’re roundly being deceived by govt — Widow
By Chidi Nkwopara,Jeff Agbodo, Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Ugochukwu Alaribe & Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU —FOR the residents of the South-East region, the year 2025 was synonymous with economic hardship.
According to them, it was one of the toughest year for them, especially artisans and petty traders who were chased about and taxed indiscriminately by some of the state governments.
Some of them lamented what they passed through, saying it was an agonising year, even as they urged the state governments in the region to initiate programmes that will touch their lives and reflect the huge resources they are receiving.
People survived 2025 because they trusted God —Bishop Nwokolo
The Bishop, Diocese on the Niger, Anglican Communion, Onitsha, Anambra State, Rt Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo, affirmed that people passed through unbearable economic hardship last year, noting that many survived because they did not depend on government, but worked hard and trusted in God.
Bishop Nwokolo, who is passionate about the welfare of the low-income earners, petty traders and artisans, among his flock, said they survived the harsh economic, social and political realities because they decided to take their destiny in their hands as they were aware that no help would come from the government.
“As children of God, we believe that it will be well with us. We worked hard. We were not afraid of what the future brings, because the Lord says don’t fear. He is the Lord of the years, and made us to embrace 2025 with joy and determination; we didn’t depend on the government.
“With hard work, we survived the biting, harsh economic hardship last year. What we want the government at all levels to do this year is to better our lives, to encourage everybody to work hard. Government at all levels will make this year a year of great prospects, where hard work will be translated into productivity. In a year, we will overcome the challenges that have kept our nation down, making people understand that Nigeria will survive; Nigeria will prosper.
“They will help to make the year a period of greater accomplishments, where once you labour, you will reap the fruit of your labour. In the year 2025, people worked hard, but government at all levels didn’t do well for them to eat the fruit of their labour; the year 2026 is a year to work, it should not be about travelling outside where things are better, it is a year for us to make things better here in Nigeria. We believe that it will be well with us,” he assured.
So much suffering—Imo people
From Owerri, Imo State, no respondent had anything good to say about 2025.
According to a resident of the city, Chikwe Osuji Nnamdi: “Any Nigerian who successfully survived 2025 is no longer a candidate for the biblical hellfire. What sort of suffering did we not pass through in the past year?
“Things were really rough and tough for citizens. Public power supply was not just epileptic, but virtually at zero level, while the bill remained high. We could not preserve our food in the refrigerator, and people whose means of livelihood depends on public power supply were literally out of business.
“We experienced double-digit inflation. Food was expensive. Employment opportunities were largely nonexistent, while the country kept turning out millions of graduates.”
For a widow and mother of four, Mrs Chinwendu Nwaiwu: “Apart from the high cost of living, we were roundly deceived by the government in the past year. Where did the government channel the supposed savings from the withdrawal of petrol subsidy, to? Why do we still use kerosene lanterns and rechargeable torchlight in our health centres, in this day and age? What level of medical attention do we receive in our hospitals?
“Look at our dilapidated schools. Are teachers’ welfare seen and treated as top priority? Can a salary of N200,000 feed a family of parents and four children?
“Virtually everything has gone out of the reach of the common man. How many families were able to have two meals daily? Note that I am not talking about the proverbial balanced diet.
“Many people who tried to survive the hunger in the land, sadly, succumbed to the superior power of insecurity. Many people were sent to their early graves. Those who were lucky to escape from captivity are still grappling with the trauma. It is an experience many do not wish on their worst enemies.”
Some students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, lamented what they called “the hopeless state of the connecting road” to their schools.
They pleaded with the government to reconstruct the Naze-Nekede and Ihiagwa-Obinze road, which connects the two higher institutions. “We passed through hell on this road during the last rainy season. Yes, students passed through serious economic troubles in 2025, but this road further compounded our woes. May God not allow us to pass through this mess again this year,” one of the students lamented.
Our ugly experiences—Ebonyi residents
Residents of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, also shared their ugly experiences in 2025, noting the high level of hardship they suffered. Some of them who spoke to SEV said they survived merely through God’s intervention.
They called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the reduction of the price of foodstuffs through the opening of borders, as well as the reduction of prices of fuel and cooking gas.
A petty trader, Mrs. Joy Nwoboh, said that last year was too hard for the family to the extent that they could not pay their children’s school fees.
“Last year was too tough for my family to the extent that feeding was a problem.”
A motor mechanic, Chike Ogboji, said that he could not achieve anything last year due to hardship and the high cost of living. He said that some car owners parked their vehicles because they could not maintain them, thereby keeping the mechanics idle.
“We believe that this year will be better, with prices of foodstuffs dropping. If the price of fuel goes down to N500 per litre and the price of cooking gas goes down, then other items will follow; Nigeria can be better this year.”
A civil servant, Ogbonna Obiakor, said salary earners suffer most in this country because their salaries are fixed and static. He said they survived by the grace of God, as his salary could not buy food for the family in a month, let alone provide for other needs in the family.
“The little money I received as salary cannot buy food for my family.” The increment in salary, they said, was nothing to write home about. “It was nothing compared to the prices of commodities in the market.”
Also, a furniture maker, Martin Okoh, said that due to hardship, nobody came to his shop to make new upholstery or repair the old ones. He lamented that he stayed for six months without doing any meaningful work in his workshop, saying it was difficult to fend for the family.
A tailor, Jenifer Abor, said that between October and December used to be their best business period, but last year was not like that due to hardship. She said that bad governance and the high cost of living crippled the economy.
“The government should encourage the youth to be self-reliant and to establish their own businesses. Some government policies and taxes are killing our businesses. They should exempt youths from paying taxes to enable their businesses stabilise, Abor appealed.
I took it one day at a time —Trader
A petty trader in Owerri, Imo State, David Onyekwere, said he faced each day as it came. Onyekwere stated that taking it one day at a time saved him from being overwhelmed by the economic challenges. He admitted it was tough but attributed his survival to God’s mercy.
The father of three blamed the situation on the removal of the fuel subsidy.
“I took it one day at a time; that was what saved me. Last year was very tough, but I faced each day as it came. If not for such an approach, I would have been overwhelmed.
“The whole thing began with the removal of fuel subsidy. Whatever touches fuel affects all other things,” he stated.
We suffered losses in 2025, govt should grant soft loans to support farmers, petty traders —Abia residents
A cross section of petty traders, including farmers in Abia State, lamented what they passed through and urged the state and federal governments to grant them soft loans in the new year to support their businesses and better their lives.
Poultry farmers who lamented that they lost their birds to diseases due to a lack of money to procure essential vaccines, disclosed that their businesses would be profitable if they had government support.
They said: “Poultry farming is a good business, but the problem is the funds to engage in it. We suffered huge losses in 2025; we are pleading with the government to help us secure loans to expand the business. This is the only way we can make profit to feed our family, “one of them said.
They said that some of them who applied for loans were not given, and that made them lose several birds in their farms to diseases and paucity of funds to procure essential vaccines.
A trader, Okechukwu Ekeleme, who deals on okirika clothes, said he passed through difficulties in 2025 because he needed money to expand his business and feed his family of five. He said: “The little profit I make from the business was not enough to feed my family of five. I need money to boost the business and enlarge my profit margin. I can foot my bills if the government can grant me a soft loan.”
Govt causes economic hardship – Ugwuogor
A trader in Ogbete main market, Enugu, Kevin Ugwuogor, squarely blamed the hardship on the federal and state governments, attributing it to inhuman policies and excessive taxes and levies from them, which he said negatively impacted business activities.
Ugwuogor emphasised that survival has become very challenging and calls on the government to reconsider some of its tax policies and levies.
“Our political leaders and government are the problem we have in this country. Their inhuman policies are the cause of economic hardship.”
The post Hardship: How we survived 2025 — South-East residents appeared first on Vanguard News.
