by Hope-Feyisayo Temitope
Several Muslim faithful in the Northern Nigeria region who are eager to be part of this year’s Sallah festival have expressed deep worries over the exorbitant costs of the different sizes of rams.
Many are disappointed in the ram market 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, blaming it on the removal of subsidy, banditry activities, and the exchange rate in the economic of the country.
Comparing 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.
The prices being tagged to rams’ prices are not giving certain hope to celebrate this year’s Sallah with rams, as a small sized ram goes for between N250,000 and N350,000 while the medium ram sells for almost N500,000, and moderately big ram now goes for between N200,000 and N300,000, while a bigger one costs between N350,000 and N400,000 depending on the size. Concerned Muslim faithfuls laments as they propose to buy cows for such prices and not rams.
Ram sellers also express worries as they were not getting customers despite the last-minute rush for Sallah. Suleiman, a ram seller said, “I understand their argument. Last year, this ram (pointing at a small ram) sold for N80,000. This year, the last price is N180,000. This one (a medium-sized one) sold for between N150,000 and N170,000 being the last price, but this year it’s N300,000.”
Suleiman explained that the high cost of the rams was not their fault. According to him, they have to sell with the dictates of how much they bought it but with a small margin of profit.
He noted that even as sellers of the rams, they too may observe the Sallah obligation without killing rams.