By Matthew Denis
The holy month of Ramadan is largely celebrated by countless Muslims across the globe as it affords them the opportunity of moving closer to their creator and also seek His favour.
However for operators of cool spots, hospitality outfits and commercial sex workers, the period of 30 days that the holy month lasts is a time their businesses go dull.
Three weeks after the commencement of this year’s Ramadan, operators of cool spots and commercial sex workers in Ilorin have lamented low patronage by customers.
Findings by this medium revealed that about 70 per cent of social activities in hotels, restaurants and cool spots have dropped as a result of the fasting.
A visit to Marvelous Hotel along Irewolede area revealed that the facility records low customers both at the bar lounge and accommodation.
One of the workers at the hotel bar who simply identified himself as Alex said, “Since Ramadan started, the patronage has been quite low. In fact, we were selling about 10 cartons of beer daily before but now we hardly sell three cartons.
“Our rooms for lodging and short time are also experiencing low patronage. We recorded about seven customers yesterday compared to the over 30 lodgers before now.
At Bubbles Bar on Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin, Saturday night, there were less than 10 customers present.
Also, the densely crowded Museum Bar along Abdulrazaq Road and Royalton Garden, GRA, Ilorin, were both scanty as at the time our reporter visited on Saturday.
Similarly, the manager of a Guest House along Airport area (name withheld) expressed concern that the patronage in the past two weeks has not been encouraging.
“It is as if people don’t want to drink beer again. In the last two weeks, the patronage has subsided unlike before when this place was beehive of activities. ”
Speaking with the President of Kwara State branch, Cool Spots Association of Nigeria, Chief Abbey Emmanuel Olajide, he said “Our beer sales have dropped considerably. In fact I can say it is 90 per cent low.
“Some shops that usually sell seven cartons of beer in a day cannot even sell six bottles now. Even in my bar before the Ramadan I sell about N20,000 and now I hardly make N5,000.
“Some of my colleagues normally close down their bars and travel during Ramadan because of low sales,” he lamented.
In the same vein, commercial sex workers who spoke with our reporter expressed their frustration over low patronage.
Irene, who mistaken our reporter for a prospective client said, “My customer, wetin you bring come? Se na which one you wan do? Se, na short time or full time till tomorrow morning?
When our reporter demanded for the charges, she simply said N3,000 for short time and N7,000 for full time. She later reduced her short time charge to N2,000 due to low patronage with a clause that our reporter buys her a bottle of beer.
Another sex worker when asked ‘how market?’ said she is presently considering relocating to Lagos due to ‘poor sales’.
“I am currently thinking of relocating to meet my colleagues who have gone to Lagos. I have worked round some streets at night to get patronage but there is no market.”
