“The Menu”, Mark Mylod’s 2022 dark satire has joined the list of movies including “Glass Onions” and “Knives Out” that depict the stark inequality between the rich and the poor bringing to life the phrase: “the rich are on the menu”. For those who haven’t watched it, The Menu follows an elite group of diners who visit an expensive restaurant called Hawthorn for exquisite dining that only the rich can afford. Unfortunately, the dinner is an elaborately planned agenda by the chef to kill all of them who he believes are responsible in one way or the other for his predicaments including losing his restaurant to an angel investor.
Socio-economic Disparity and its Consequences
The phrase “when the rich are on the menu for the poor” is often used metaphorically to describe situations where economic disparity or social unrest reaches a point where those who are wealthy or privileged face significant risks or consequences from the less privileged or marginalised groups in society. This phrase underscores the idea of social upheaval or revolution, where the disenfranchised or oppressed groups seek retribution or justice against those who have benefited from their exploitation or from systems that perpetuate inequality.
It is important to note that this phrase is not advocating violence or harm against anyone, but rather serves as a commentary on the potential consequences of extreme economic inequality and social injustice. It highlights the importance of addressing systemic issues to create a more equitable and just society for all. Economic disparities and inequality refer to the unequal distribution of wealth, resources, and opportunities within a society. These disparities can manifest in various forms, including income inequality where differences in earnings among individuals or households can occur due to variations in education, skills, job opportunities, or systemic factors such as discrimination.
The current trend with the rising cost of living has given this phrase an even more foreboding meaning and could be a warning to us all particularly those in government to do something drastic to avert the looming disaster.
The Poor are Getting Poorer
Globally, the disparities between the rich and the poor is at an all time high. In many countries across the world, cost of living is precariously at a tipping point with basic amenities including food beyond the reach of the poor, aged, sick and persons with disability. In Nigeria, food prices are also at an all-time high and this typically indicates a significant challenge for the population, particularly those with lower incomes who spend a larger portion of their earnings on food.
According to the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 63% of persons living within Nigeria (133 million people) are multidimensionally poor. 65% of the poor (86 million people) live in the North, while 35% (nearly 47 million) live in the South. Poverty levels across States vary significantly, with the incidence of multidimensional poverty ranging from a low of 27% in Ondo to a high of 91% in Sokoto. Over half of the population of Nigeria are multidimensionally poor and cook with dung, wood or charcoal, rather than cleaner energy. High deprivations are also apparent nationally in sanitation, healthcare, food insecurity, and housing.
Additionally, wealth inequality resulting from disparities in the accumulation of assets, including property, investments, and savings often reflects historical and structural factors, such as inheritance, access to financial markets, and government policies. Disparities in access to quality education, which can perpetuate economic inequality by limiting opportunities for upward mobility often leads to differential access to employment opportunities based on factors such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or socioeconomic background contribute to economic disparities.
Unequal access to healthcare services and health outcomes based on income and social status can further exacerbate economic inequality as well as geographical disparities in economic opportunities and resources between urban and rural areas or regions within a country. Economic disparities and inequality have significant social, economic, and political implications. They can lead to social unrest, hinder economic growth, and undermine social cohesion. Addressing these disparities often requires comprehensive policy measures aimed at promoting inclusive economic growth, reducing barriers to opportunity, and ensuring equitable access to essential services and resources.
Let the Poor BrEAThe
Right now, the most pressing challenge for the poor in Nigeria is food, food and food in that order. The current high food prices can result from various factors, including supply chain disruption. Incessant interruptions in the production, transportation, or distribution of food have led to shortages and price spikes with adverse weather conditions, insecurity, pest infestations, cost of and disruptions to transportation infrastructure. The general inflationary pressures can cause the prices of goods and services, including food, to rise. Inflation may be influenced by factors such as monetary policy, exchange rate fluctuations, or increases in production costs.
As the value of the Naira continues to depreciate relative to other currencies, it has inadvertently led to an increase in the cost of imported food and agricultural inputs, contributing to higher food prices domestically. Conflict and insecurity particularly in places that hitherto were the food basket of the nation, disrupt agricultural production, make markets inaccessible, and limit food supplies leading to higher prices for available food. Government policies related to trade, taxation, subsidies, and agricultural support programs affect food prices particularly where changes in government policies or ineffective policy implementation exacerbate food price volatility.
High food prices can have detrimental effects on food security, nutrition, and overall well-being, particularly for vulnerable populations. It also has grave consequences for the health and wellbeing of citizens. A sensitive government and relevant stakeholders will prioritize the implementation of measures to address the underlying causes of high food prices, such as increasing agricultural productivity, improving market infrastructure, implementing social safety nets, and stabilising macroeconomic conditions. However, effectively addressing the issue requires a comprehensive approach that considers the complex interplay of economic, social, and environmental factors influencing food prices.
Nigerian musician, Chinagorom Onuoha aka “African China” clearly saw the future with his 2013 single “Mr. President” which clearly addresses most if not all the economic and social woes Nigeria is currently facing today. The political class and those in leadership cannot expect the poor to just breathe. That is a given for all living things and cannot be the only luxury that the poor have access to and certainly not what citizens expect the government to provide. Government needs to urgently address the current high cost of living, rising food prices, and food insecurity to forestall the looming starvation that faces more than half of the population. When many Nigerians can no longer afford even staple foods like yam, garri and beans, then what is left on the menu?
A viral video which spread across WhatsApp in Nigeria last week where an obviously frustrated family man could not buy foodstuff for his family from the local market with the money on him validates any argument that we are in dire straits. Even more distressing was the fact that the traders could not help him out until most likely, a good Samaritan came along. Add that to the pockets of protests across the country by women and the teeming unemployed youth against imminent starvation that will spread if the rising cost of food trend continues unabated, and we have a national food emergency on our hands.
Without concerted and urgent efforts to address this alarming trend, it is only a matter of time before the rich are on the menu as ‘a la carte’.