By Mike Adeyemi
Residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital have lamented the high cost of food items and rams in the market, especially as Muslim faithful prepare for this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
In less than 24 hours to the Sallah celebrations traders across the metropolis are experiencing low patronage even as prices of foodstuffs and rams remained on the high side across markets in the state National Pilot can report.
Findings by this medium revealed that the prices of big rams range between N185,000 to N190,000; small rams which were sold for N40,000 last year now go for N85,000 to N90,000.
A medium size ram, which was sold for between N50,000 to 60,000 last year, now cost N100,000 to N120,000 representing 100percent increase.
At Mandate market, a seller, Tajudeen Sarumi, attributed the situation to the prevailing economic challenges in the country.
According to him, “we got very few supply as compared to last year. The prices are higher and people are complaining. I believe the security situation contributed to this development.”
Mrs. Alimat Garuba, a businesswoman, told our reporter that she was surprised at the cost of food items in the market.
According to her, “when I got to the market, a kilo of meat which was sold for N1,500 has gone up to N2,000, while a measure of potatoes which cost N1,500 previously is now N2,200.
She said that a measure of tomato, which was sold for N600 now cost N2,500 and pepper sold for N300 was now N2,000.
Garuba said that times are hard, especially civil servants as the new minimum wage is yet to be implemented in Kwara.
“With the way prices of food items are going up everyday, I hope our Muslim brothers will be able to celebrate Sallah without digging a hole in their pockets.
“Food items like garri, beans, iced fish, vegetables are now very expensive.
“A kilo of goat meat now goes for N2,200 instead of N1,500 while a kilo of beef now cost N2, 000. A measure of beans which was sd for 1500 is now priced at N2, 600,” Garuba complained.
At Ipata and Sango markets, prices of ram remained on the high side ranging between N100,000 and N250,000, while the costs of a bag of rice was between N20,000 and N23, 000 depending on the brand.
Many traders complained of low patronage, amidst the fact that prices of foodstuffs like garri, yam flour and others, including chicken and guinea have skyrocketed. Many traders were however optimistic that there would be last minute shopping by Muslim faithful.
A buyer, Sulaiman Ibrahim said that he wanted to purchase a big ram but ended up with a small one because he couldn’t afford his choice due to high price.
“The one I ended up buying cost me N40,000, while the medium size I wanted to buy had asking price of N100, 000.
Another prospective buyer, Saka Yusuf said that he could not believe what he was asked to pay for an average sized ram.
“I could not buy and I just had to go back and from all indications, it will be higher in the few days remaining to the festival.
Yusuf noted that although the traders have their reasons for the high prices, they should, however, put into consideration the purchasing power of an average income earner, while emphasising that people are only trying to fulfil their religious obligations.
However, Ibrahim Liman, who sells ram at Adeta roundabout market, attributed insurgency and high cost of living in the country as some of the major causes for the rise in cost.
He explained that some of them in the business from the North-East had lost their animals to insurgency and had been forced to import from the Niger Republic and Chad, just to remain in the business.
“Buyers come, bargain prices and go without buying because they are also complaining that there is no money in the country, everything in the market has increased in price, not just ram.
“It is not our fault, we did not buy them cheap too and even the ones we reared ourselves are expensive because it is not easy to feed and rear animals for two or more years, it costs money,” Liman said.
At the Asa-Dam ram market, both buyers and sellers were seen complaining of high cost and low patronage respectively.
A prospective buyer, Musbau Atere told this medium that despite the fact that the cost of things was high, he was determined to celebrate all the same.
“It is, indeed, costly, but we had no choice than to adapt to the situation. Though I budgeted about N60,000 for a big ram, I was forced to change my mind. The greatest joy is that we are alive and glad to celebrate another Sallah . We pray that things will get better, because it is the masses that are feeling the pain..”
