Ramadan in the North

• The experiences, the challenges

From Our Correspondents

The  month of Ramadan is a significant season in the life of a Muslim. Daily Sun takes a critical look at how Muslim faithful are observing the month in the North.

Kaduna

In Kaduna metropolis and other parts of Kaduna State, individuals, religious groups and charitable foundations have intensified acts of kindness and alms-giving, characterised by the distribution of food items to vulnerable Muslims and quranic schools.

Many residents have shunned the hard times and have continued the tradition of sharing meals with their neighbours, friends and relatives at sunset. One of such instances of charity was the provision of grains and other food supplies to more than 1,000 underprivileged Muslims and Tsangaya (quranic) school pupils by Pastor Yohanna Buru of the Church of Christ Evangelical and Life Intercessory Ministry in Sabon Tasha.

Plateau

There have been a number of inter-faith dialogues in different parts of the state. One of them was led by a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, a delegation of Christian Clerics from Northern Nigeria to a Ramadan Iftar at the residence of the late Islamic scholar, Dahiru Usman Bauchi.

The assembly, organised annually in the past 15 years, is to promote peace, unity and mutual understanding between members of the two religions. Away from dialogue is the opportunity for a rebirth. Clerics have not lost the opportunity that is offered by the season.

Many of them have devoted their sermons to the themes of patience, charity, peaceful coexistence and moral discipline while encouraging traders to avoid arbitrary price hike of essential commodities during the season. The admonition was inspired by a surge of the prices of food items just a few days to the Sallah celebrations.

Taraba

Residents of Jalingo and the rest of Taraba State are distressed by the cost of food items this Ramadan. They stated that the prices are a poor reflection of the season that highlights empathy, care and fairness.

A survey of the markets indicated a minor but steady rise in the cost of food items in the past weeks. A crate of eggs sold for N5,800 prior to the beginning of the fast has risen to N6,500-N6,800.  A measure of maize sells for between N24,500 and N25,000 as against N22,000 previously. A measure of beans sold for N1,500 now sells for N2500.

Fruits, however, recorded the least hike. A resident, Maigari Usman, said: “It is disturbing that people are going through a lot of difficulties because there is no money.”

Another dimension is the alleged lack of support from the authorities and individuals. Malam Abdul Mahmoud buttressed this: “This year, I think North East Development Commission (NEDC) has not sent Ramadan items to Taraba State and suddenly, everybody is minding their business.

“Even the state government, I am not aware that they have provided relief materials for the people. This is a real eye opener to all of us. I will appeal to individuals and government to come to our aid and provide relief that will make the fast less stressful.”

Kebbi

State government distributed bags of grains to over one million people of different faiths. The gesture was reinforced by the two wives of the governor, Zainab and Nafisa Idris. They organised lectures and distributed palliatives to Muslim women.

Added to this is the kindness of the market. Prices of essential food items have remained relatively stable. A common fruit being sold on major streets is watermelon. It is sold for as little as N500, depending on the size. The same kindness is demonstrated by the weather. A great deal of the past days has been mild and restful.

Yes, the sun will always rise to the centre of the sky. But it shrouds its face with a fair and clement weather.

A situation that reduces the high demand for ice block, a behaviour typical of the fasting period.

However, on a sad note. The period has been marked so far by a number of incidents of terrorism and kidnapping of innocent residents. This climaxed recently with the killing of worshippers.

Nassarawa State

Ramadan in Nasarawa State has been marked by intense spiritual devotion, acts of charity and renewed calls for peaceful coexistence among residents of the state.

In major towns including Lafia, Keffi and Akwanga, Muslims gather daily in Mosques and homes to observe the dawn-to-sunset fast. Clerics use the period to preach sermons centred on piety, forgiveness and compassion for the less privileged.

Ramadan records a reduction in crime, particularly cases of kidnapping and armed robbery. Many attributed this to the heightened spiritual atmosphere and increased religious activities.

In the spirit of charity associated with Ramadan, individuals, politicians and community groups have also intensified the distribution of food items to vulnerable residents. Some political actors equally leveraged on the seasonal opportunities to organise feeding programmes, inviting friends and associates to their homes to break the fast together.

However, the rising cost of food items has remained the black ship of the season. At the Lafia Modern Market, Adamu Usman said: “A bucket of tomatoes previously sold for N1,500 now goes for N4,000. The experience is made worse by the high cost of transportation following the increase in fuel prices to about N1,200 per litre. Motorists and commercial motorcycle operators have adjusted their fares higher, disrupting the travel plans of many residents during this period.”

In the public sector too, there has been adjustment in work hours. In some ministries and public offices, workers were seen arriving later than usual or departing earlier in the day than law permits, attributed to the exhausting demands of the fasting period.

Niger State

Muslims in Niger State, especially in Minna, are experiencing the worst Ramadan fast in decades, or so it seems. This follows the present acute water shortage and epileptic electricity supply.

Since the commencement of the Ramadan fast, there is no moment of respite for the residents of Minna as the pipes dried up two days into the annual spiritual exercise, leaving majority of them to scoop water from all sources, including unhygienic ones.

To add to this burden is the complete absence of electricity supply, rendering both commercial and social activities ineffective in Miinna. This led to lamentations especially among the Muslim faithful.

Daily Sun was told that the complete absence of electricity supply has made storage of perishable food items near impossible, hence forcing households to result to cooking on a daily basis with huge economic implications.

Governor Umaru Bago attributed the situation to the failure of the people to pay their energy bills. He urged the people to seek for an alternative source of power supply if they wanted to enjoy electricity.

He specifically asked the people to seek for solar power as an alternative source of power, stressing that the Government House, Minna, has since migrated from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to solar power.

While the people endure the Ramadan without electricity, water remains critical. The lack of this commodity has over stretched many families. Women and children spend hours in search of water under the scorching sun. To make the matter worst, those who managed to sink borehole in their houses, do not have electricity to pump the water.

The governor directed Ministry of Water Resources to deploy water tankers to supply water to residential houses as emergency intervention. He also ordered the release of funds to purchase 60,000 litres of diesel to enable the water board pump water to residential houses as a temporary measure.