Buyers in last-minute rush for Sallah rams lament exorbitant costs

Chika Otuchikere, Tukur Muntari, Umar Sani, and Salman Animashaun
Arewa reporters has observed a last-minute rush to buy rams in many states across the North region, even as the majority of the residents lament the high cost of the sacrificial animal.

Several Muslim faithful in the Arewa region who are eager to be part of this year’s Sallah festival have expressed deep worries over the scary prices of the different sizes of the rams put up for sale at the various markets.

Many of the highly disappointed ram market patrons lament that the exorbitant cost of these rams may deny them the opportunity of performing the Islamic spiritual obligation and also celebrate the festival with ram.

Cows and rams on sales, as Muslims prepare for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir, at the Kara cattle market, Isheri, Ogun State… on Thursday. Photo: Stanley Ogidi
When Arewa reporters compared the current 2024 market prices of some of the rams with the 2023 prices, it was observed that the ram market prices have risen by more than 300 per cent in some instances, far above the income of the average Nigerian.

Not a few of the buyers have told our correspondent that while they were able to manage to purchase some rams last year, the prices being tagged his year to rams do not give the hope to that certainty.

Cows and rams on sales, as Muslims prepare for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir, at the Kara cattle market, Isheri, Ogun State… on Thursday. Photo: Stanley Ogidi
They said apart from the high cost of the rams, the general living standard up north has gone so low that before they squeeze out the money to purchase rams at the present cost, they must almost equally consider other factors waiting to drain more money from them; such as routine staple food on the table, house rent, school fees for the children’s continued education after the festivity and money to transport themselves to work and back.

Arewa reporters for instance visited the popular Thursday market in Minna, which also opens on Saturdays to observe dealings at the ram section and reports that the sad story over the poor economic situation is the same all over.

Amuda Hamid, who is a ram seller, told Arewa reporters, “We could not afford to buy many rams this year. The only people who patronise us are the government people and the politicians, but they have already bought before today ahead of time. Even the small rams are not affordable to many of our customers. We are in trouble in this country if this situation continues,” he lamented.

One female customer who gave her name as Aisha Mamud regretted that things will never be the same for the country as the prices of everything have gone beyond the reach of the ordinary Nigerian. She said the price of ram in 2024 has shown that truly Nigerians are in for a very tough time.

According to Aisha, “I don’t know how anyone expects us to celebrate this year’s Sallah at the high prices rams sell for.

“Can you imagine that a small sized ram goes for between N250,000 and N350,000 while the medium ram sells for almost N500,000.

Cows and rams on sales, as Muslims prepare for the celebration of Eid-El-Kabir, at the Kara cattle market, Isheri, Ogun State… on Thursday. Photo: Stanley Ogidi
“The way we are going, I may just add more money and buy a cow so that I will know that what I bought is a cow and not a ram for that amount,” Aisha said.

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A ram seller at the market who gave his name as Suleiman Kudu also lamented that they were not getting customers. He wondered how people were going to mark the Sallah this year without rams.

“I have come to this market since 7am this morning and not one person has bought any of my rams. They have been coming to price the rams, and when they hear the prices, they move to another stall to compare prices. It is like they want me to sell below what I bought, which is not possible.