Friday, March 29, 2024

Sallah: Muslims kick as prices of ram, food items soar

  • Nigerians react, blame poor economy
     
    There are indications that most Nigerians are fated to a low-key Eid-el-Kabir Muslim festivity, owing to the skyrocketing prices of rams, food items and other consumables.
    The slaughtering of a ram is significant to the Sallah celebration, as it marked a historic watershed, denoting faith and piety.
    Checks by our correspondents across Lagos markets, for instance, indicated that items ranging from ram, food stuffs and others were on the high side, thereby leaving shoppers with low profile options.
    At some major ram markets in Lagos, our correspondent gathered that sellers were full of disappointment having recorded “an all-time” low patronage.  
    Most of them who spoke with our correspondent, said the situation of things in the economy had not allowed worshippers to opt for ram in celebrating this year’s Sallah.
    At Shangisha ram market in Lagos, one of the sellers, Abdullahi Danladi, said, “This year’s Sallah looks a bit discouraging to most of us that deal in ram.
    “We brought these rams as usual with the hope that worshippers would patronise, but as you can see, buyers are very few, and we understand that it is due to situation of things in the country.”
    Meanwhile, at Kara market, OPIC in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, our correspondent observed that some of the buyers returned home as they could not afford rams.
     
    NIGERIANS BLAME POOR ECONOMY
    Adekunle Kazeem, a Muslim who said he could not afford the price of ram at the market told our correspondent that, “This year’s is a sorry case. I am changing my mind on killing ram this year. This price they gave me in this market is far more than expectation.
    “I will better opt for chicken, except if I check on other places where I can see an affordable ram, because if I buy the ram now with all I have, won’t they cook it with pepper? Moreover, remember that after the Sallah, my children will resume back to school and I have that to settle. So I have to think twice”.
    At Agege in Lagos, sellers of ram also decried the low turnout of buyers this year. According to them, the market is low, no buyer at all, compared to last year. “The price of ram now has spiked from N25, 000 to N80, 000 with the price of ‘he- goat’ from N10, 000 upwards,” Daramola Tajudeen, a seller said.
    Meanwhile, the government has been urged to revive the economy to make life more meaningful to the citizenry.
    An Islamic cleric who spoke with our correspondent over the situation of the economy, especially during this Sallah celebration, Alhaji Nasirdeen Eniola, said, “The government should intensify efforts to ameliorate the situation of the country which is currently denying Muslims from performing a rite which Allah commanded them to do.”
     
    AMBODE GREETS MUSLIMS
    Meanwhile, the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has called on Muslims in Nigeria to imbibe the values of sacrifice, love and continue to foster unity as they join their counterparts worldwide to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.
    In his Sallah message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, Governor Ambode said the period of the celebration was a clarion call for Nigerians to imbibe the lessons of the season such as selfless service to God and humanity, sacrifice and sincere commitment to righteous conducts in their private and public life.
     
     
    He explained that the significance of the season should be beyond the festivities, adding that as Muslims prepare to offer animal sacrifice in the prescribed days of the festival, the real essence was not in the meat or the blood of the animal but to encourage piety, self-discipline and sacrifice.
    Governor Ambode therefore called on all Nigerians to exhibit these values for the good of the country and shun any act capable of heating up the polity or causing distrust among various ethnic groups in the country.
    “As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, let us renew our faith in our nation and implore the Almighty God to restore to us those values that place high premium on human life, love of neighbour and sharing even as we ventilate our faith in the unity of our dear country”, the governor said.
    “This period requires more patience, fortitude, tolerance, endurance, patriotism and a greater willingness to make personal sacrifices for the good of all,” he said.
    The governor also thanked Lagosians for supporting his administration, assuring that the Government would continue to do its best to serve the people and promote fairness and mutual tolerance among the populace, irrespective of backgrounds.
    While wishing all Lagosians, especially adherents of the Islamic faith a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Governor Ambode enjoined Nigerians in other parts of the country to continue to be their brothers’ keeper.

Popular Articles