By Mike Adeyemi
Buyers of ram in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital have continued to decry the soaring prices of the sacrificial animal in major markets as the Eid-el-Kabir celebration draws nearer, National Pilot can report.
The Eid-el-Kabir is an annual Islamic festival of ram sacrifice decreed to Muslim faithfuls as an act of Ibadah (worship) to Almighty Allah as practised by Muslims globally.
Our reporter who visited Adeta roundabout livestock market, Ipata market and Sango market, reports that small, average and big sized rams at the markets are sold for N35,000, N60,000 and N100,000 respectively.
Some of the buyers expressed dissatisfaction over the high cost of the rams.
At Adeta market, a buyer, Saheed Otukoko, attributed the situation to the prevailing economic challenges in the country.
Otukoko said he was at the market to purchase a big ram but ended up with a small one because he couldn’t afford his choice due to high price.
He said, “The one I ended up buying cost N35,000, while the medium-sized one that I wanted to buy went for a negotiable price of N60,000.
“I have visited many ram markets in town but couldn’t buy any because of the high cost, that is why I came here hoping to get a better bargain.”
Another prospective buyer, Ahmed Sarumi, said that he could not believe what he was asked to pay for an average sized ram.
However, Mall. Idris Sulaiman, who sells ram at Adeta roundabout market, identified insurgency and high cost of living in the country as some of the major causes of the high prices of the sacrificial animals.
He explained that some of the sellers in the business from the North East have lost their animals to the insurgency and have been forced to import from Niger Republic and Chad, just to be in business.
At Sango cattle market, consumers in the market were seen complaining about what they considered as unjustified price hike of ram by dealers.
The smallest ram atthe market goes for N45,000, as against N30,000 during the same period last year, while a big ram is sold for as much as N180,000 and N200,000.
A buyer at Sango cattle market, Ayodeji Gafar, said: “I thought I could get a ram at a reasonable price few weeks to sallah but the prices are high; that is why I have to haggle for a good price.
Another buyer at Ipata market, Raji Rasheed, told our reporter that he had visited many ram markets but couldn’t buy any because of the high cost, adding that the price of a ram this year is high.
“Many buyers who cannot buy went home disappointed. I am appealing to the government to look into the problem or else many Muslims will not be able to slaughter rams during this Eid-el-Kabir,” he said.
A buyer, Poopola Kazeem lamented that he ought to have bought his own ram some months ago to beat the present high cost but was financially incapacitated due to some unforeseen circumstances.
However, majority of the dealers who spoke with our medium, stated that the major routes traders ply to bring rams to the state had become impassable due to the activities of Boko Haram and bandits.
