By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
(C) Dreams time.com.
As millions of Muslims, globally celebrate Eid-el-Kabir on Friday, many Muslim faithful in Lokoja, Kogi State, north central Nigeria, said they are groaning under the weight of skyrocketing prices of rams and foodstuffs.
This ugly development,they added,has made this year’s celebration increasingly difficult for them and to a large degree, the common man.
A market survey carried out by The Reporters at various ram markets in Lokoja on Wednesday and Thursday, showed that the price of a mature ram went for between N500,000 and N1 million, depending on the size and breed.
At the Lokoja International Market, a ram seller, Mallam Shehu Ibrahim, confirmed the sharp increase, attributing it to the rising cost of transportation, insecurity on northern supply routes, and the frightening naira value.
“Last year, the biggest ram was about N350,000. This year, nothing good comes below N500,000. Some VIP rams go for N1 million,” he lamented.
The situation is no different in the old market area, where foodstuff traders are also dealing with the ripple effects of inflation.
A 50kg bag of local rice solid for N75,000 to N85,000, while a bag of foreign rice goes for N95,000 or more at the time this interview was done on Wednesday.
Investigation by The Reporters also revealed that the price of tomatoes, onions, vegetable oil, and other cooking essentials has doubled in the last three months, forcing many families to rethink their Sallah plans.
Hajiya Safiya Mohammed ,a civil servant and mother of four, said her family will mark Eid-el-Kabir in a low-key manner.
“We can’t afford a ram this year. “Even food is difficult to buy. We will prepare small rice and meat for the celebration of Sallah. “Almighty Allah knows ounderstands our difficult economic situation,” she said, with a note of resignation.
Another respondent, Mallam Yusuf Abdullahi, a tailor and father of five, said borrowing to buy a ram is not an option. “Borrow money to buy ram? For what? We are already owing school fees. It doesn’t make sense. We’ll pray, dress decently, and teach our children the value of gratitude to Almighty Allah who has been protecting and sustaining amid the harsh economic reality we are going through,” he explained.
Others, like Abdulkarim Sule, a roadside mechanic, see the high cost of living as a wake-up call for economic reforms. “Government must fix this country. They should support local farmers, fix power supply, and stabilize the naira. Until that happens, no celebration can be joyful,” he said.
There is a general consensus among those interviewed that this year’s Eid-el-Kabir will be one of the most subdued in recent memory. While some Muslims said they might sacrifice smaller animals like goats or poultry, others said they would simply offer prayers and reflect on the essence of the festival without slaughtering any animal.
Some Muslim faithful interviewed called on both federal and state governments to intensify efforts in implementing more people-centered policies, reduce taxes on essential commodities, and create opportunities for youths and artisans.
“Eid is about sacrifice and sharing,but we must survive first before we can share. Let our leaders make survival easier for the poor,”Imam Abdulrahman Aliyu gave the advice in an interview with our correspondent in Lokoja.
Meanwhile, during his sermon at the Gadumo praying ground, Malam Musa Bello urged Muslims who have the financial means to buy and slaughter a ram to do so with the belief that they are symbolically sacrificing all actions and behaviors that go against Islamic teachings.
He said what is important to Almighty Allah is not the slaughtering of ram but the piety of the Muslim faithful and called on the Muslims to fear Allah in their activities and habits towards others in the society.
