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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Ahead of the eid-il-fitri celebration, Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Muslims as well as Nigerian Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to fast and offer special prayers for God’s intervention for an end to the myriad of challenges facing the country.
The call is contained in a statement by Khalid Aliyu, JNI secretary general, yesterday, in Kaduna.
The head of the Islamic community in the country also urged Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to pray for Nigeria and its leaders on Arafat day.
He said with 2023 general elections approaching, there was need to seek Allah’s intervention for stability, security, peace and development of the country.
“If we don’t humble ourselves to the Almighty Allah, an end to these orgy of violence seems not insight.
“I implore us all to dedicate special prayers against all these menace and the hydra-headed calamities of insecurity, poverty, high cost of living and corruption occurring in Nigeria,” he said.
The Sultan also sought for prayers as the 2023 general election approaches.
“Similarly, with 2023 general election fast approaching, we need to also seek Allah’s apt intervention for stability, security, peace and development of Nigeria.
“As people of faith, we must submit ourselves to Allah, especially that all efforts geared towards restoration of peace and order seems to defy solutions.
“We reiterate the need for fervent prayers for peaceful and smooth political transition, and an end to the varied socio-economic challenges,” he said.
•Ram sellers, buyers lament
As Eid-el Kabir is significantly celebrated by slaughtering of rams by Muslim faithful, however, with the current economic downturn, the purchasing power of many to buy rams appear to have been crippled.
A survey in Ibadan, Oyo State, revealed low patronage at different ram markets within the metropolis, thus posing concerns for sellers as well as intending buyers.
Baale of Bodija 30-30 ram market, Chief Rasaki Adeyemo, traced the low sales of rams to the biting economic condition in the country.
“Rams are available in almost all the markets and at different places, but buyers who can afford them are scanty.
“The rams are sold at relatively low prices, but there is obviously no money in people’s hands.
“The willingness to buy rams for Sallah is there. Unfortunately, people are limited by lack of money.
“This situation is, however, not peculiar to ram sellers alone, as various other businesses are affected by the economic downturn,” he said.
According to him, a medium-sized ram sells for between N50,000 and N80,000, while a bigger one sells for between N100,000 and N150,000.
The northern brown goat (Busoro/Maisoro), he said, would sell for between N20,000 and N30,000.
Adeyemo said the hike in the price of diesel did not help the situation, as it had its effect on the cost of transportation, particularly from the northern part of the country to the south.
He also identified security challenges, especially on the roads, as another factor contributing to the rising cost of transportation.
According to him, the cost of transporting a ram, which used to be N1,000 each is now between N3,000 and N4,000.
“On the issue of security, many remote northern villages that we buy rams from have been invaded. Therefore, we have to make do with whatever we see nearby,” Adeyemo said.
A ram seller from Zamfara, Mallam Salisu Habibu, said the cost of transportation, which was N400,000 in 2021, had risen to between N800,000 and N1.2 million.
Habibu attributed the situation to poor road network, characterised by bad portions, implored the government to construct lasting roads to ease movement of people and goods.
Another ram seller at Aleshinloye market, Abdullahi Maigari, said that the N1.2 million cost of bringing down rams in articulated vehicles from the north to the south, used to be between N500,000 and N650,000.
Maigari said unlike the case at hand, about 30 of such vehicles brought in rams to the same Aleshinloye market in 2021.
“There is no money. We are just sitting down here without sales; buyers are not coming. Depending on what you want in size and your bargaining skill, you will get a ram for between N35,000 and N150,000. The goats go for between N20,000 and N25,000,” he added.
A buyer, Alhaji Monsuru Dauda, not desiring to disclose the cost of the ram he bought, simply said that he had a good deal.
He, however, decried the economic situation in the country, regretting that it would affect the killing of rams by most Muslims.
Another ram merchant, Mallam Salisu Aminu from Maiduguri, lamented the loss he had incurred, as his rams were dying due to lack of patronage.
He also attributed the death of the animal to exhaustion and thirst, occasioned by the long journey from Maiduguri to Ibadan.
Aminu said that he had to sell some of the affected rams at give-away prices in order to not lose totally on them.
A bag of rice at Bodija market, which used to sell at N25,000, is now being sold for between N29,000 and N30,000 while a five-litre size of Kings vegetable oil is sold at N7,800, and a 25-litre size for N35,000.
•How to beat high cost of rams –Cleric
However,a cleric, Sheikh Abdullahi Nurudeen-Adana, has advised Muslim faithful to come together in two or three and contribute money to buy a cow for sacrifice, to arrest the current high cost of rams in various markets across the country.
Nurudeen-Adana who is the Chairman of the lslamic Missionaries Association of Nigeria (lMAN) in llorin, gave the advice.
The Cleric who described the cost of rams as prohibitive and unaffordable to several Muslims aspiring to perform the sacrifice, recommended buying of vows as best alternatives.
According to the cleric, cows that are fairly big and of sound health are fully qualified to be used for the Eid-el-Kabir sacrifice.
“Two or three muslims can come together to contribute money to buy a fairly big cow that is of sound health for the festival,” Nurudeen-Adana said.
He warned Muslims against engaging in any negative acts for the slaughtering of rams, stating that it was not compulsory for those who could not afford it.
