By Our Reporters
Muslims across Nigeria may be bracing themselves for a modest Eid-el-Kabir celebration as the soaring prices of food items, particularly the symbolic rams, have gone out of reach of the masses.
Reports from ram sellers revealed that a highly corpulent ram was selling for as high as N1.2million in several parts of the country on Friday.
A market survey conducted across many states and geo-political zones unveiled a grim picture for ram sellers, who have been plagued by low sales.
In Lagos, there are many sales outlets for rams in different parts, including Ikorodu. Prices of ram range from N220,000 to N1million, depending on its size and specie.
In Ibadan the Oyo State capital, prices vary, with small-sized rams selling for approximately N70,000, medium-sized rams for N150,000, and larger ones commanding an eye-watering price tag of N350,000 to N700,000. Alhaji Quadri Alamu, a resident of Ibadan, lamented that the same size of ram he purchased for N80,000 last year is now being sold for an exorbitant N350,000 to N400,000 in 2024.
Reports from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) revealed that prices of rams have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many buyers. In the Dedei Ram Market, a large ram sells for between N750, 000 and N900,000, the medium-sized rams range from N400,000 to N650,000, while the smaller ones are priced from N200,000 to N300,000. In the Gwagwalada cattle market, big rams are sold for between N550,000 and N700,000, medium-sized rams for N300,000 to N450,000, and smaller ones for N160,000 to N200,000. A seller Mallam Ibrahim Ali at a temporary ram market along Kubwa Expressway said last year he had sold over 70 rams as at two days to the festival, but this year, he had not sold up to 20.
In Plateau State, Muslim faithful are complaining over the high cost of rams in the market. Based on size, some rams go for N140,000, N350,000, N450,000, N700,000, and even N1.5million.
Mr Adamu Bello, a resident of Jos North decried the high cost of price of rams, which he noted might prevent him from sacrificing a ram during this year’s festival, a practice he had adhered to strictly for the past 15 years.
Findings in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, indicated that the prices of rams hover from N70,000, N90,000, N105,000 to N155,000. Stakeholders blamed the situation on the insecurity around some major animal-rearing states in the North-West and North East, devaluation of naira, as well as removal of fuel subsidy.
Meanwhile, some ram sellers in various parts of Kwara State, such as Offa, Ajase Ipo, Omu Aran and Mandate and Sango in Ilorin, said the rams they sold for N70,000 to N80,000 last year are now being sold for 150,000 upward.
A customer, Dauda Rasheed, said he would opt out of buying a ram this year and buy foodstuffs to make the home happy.
In Kano State, price of one-year old rams went for about N80,000 (small ones) to N250,000 or more for big ones. Saturday Sun observed during the visits to these markets that the less expensive and hungry looking animals were being purchased more than the well-fed meaty and expensive ones
Findings from Yola in Adamawa State showed that in both Jimeta (Yola North) and Yola South ram markets, ram sellers were frustrated at the low patronage. A ram seller, Husseini, said prices ranged between N180,000 and N800,000.
In Chinge Market, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Alhaji Usman, a prominent ram seller, noted, “The smallest size of ram is now priced at N70,000, while larger rams range from N200,000 to N700,000.”
Reports from Kaduna revealed that prices of ram ranged from N150,000 to N1million as against maximum price of N500,000 last year. This has made some Muslim and Christian clerics form a voluntary coalition ‘task force’ to bring down rising prices of sacrificial cattle, especially rams for Eid-el-Kabir.
The taskforce, led by Pastor Yohanna Buru, has begun touring various animals selling points in Kaduna metropolis, appealing for lower prices on rams and other animals to enable more Muslims to afford them for the Sallah celebration. He emphasised the necessity of the intervention, noting that the price hike has placed the animals beyond the reach of the average Muslim.