Despite Shrinking Income, Muslims Celebrate Sallah In Style

Not even the shrinking disposable income of Nigerians was enough to stop Muslim faithful from celebrating this year’s Eid-el- Kabir with the attendant pomp and pageantry.

LEADERSHIP checks yesterday revealed that the Muslim faithful in the country were able to make do with the little they had to make the celebrations remarkable.

In recent times, petrol subsidy removal has increased transportation fare and other logistics, coupled with high inflation, which has also hiked expenses at a time income has remained unchanged.

This has drastically shrinked the disposable income of people to buy their choice goods and assets, leaving the citizens with no option than to let go of many expenses.

While this rubbed off on the quantity and quality of what was to be bought, it still did not deter people from celebrating in the festive period.

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To this end, people still travelled to their villages for Sallah despite the increase in transport fares.

At Ibadan Motor Park, Obalende, transport fare from Lagos to Ibadan by Sienna car is N6,000, while by bus is N5,050, compared to N2,050 two months ago, when petrol price was still enjoying subsidy.

Similarly, Lagos to Osun State now costs N7,500 from Iyana-Ipaja.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, one of the drivers at the park who hinted on the rate of patronage said people have been traveling despite the changes in the price of transport.

“There is a significant change in the price at which it was carried before and now. He said last time, there was a subsidy, and this time no more subsidy,” he said.

Another driver said he doubted if people stayed back and did not travel because of the amount people pay to travel.

“There is no fuel scarcity only that the price has gone up and as a result, we need to change the price to commiserate with the price of petrol now,” he noted.

A minibus driver operating at Obalende, Lagos, said he did not travel but celebrated the festive season here in Lagos. “I am not traveling this year. The last time I traveled was five years ago and this is because my family is here, and even my children who are in boarding school will only travel down here to celebrate the Sallah.”

Also speaking with LEADERSHIP in Lagos, Mr Rafiu Belahu, a resident around Magboro by Prayer City, Ibafo, blamed his lost of interest in buying of ram on subsidy removal and the attendant effect, compelling him to park his car at home to take public bus.

“Things are so tough this year. I used to buy two rams which I normally share the meat to neighbours during the celebration. This year, I will imitate what some of my friends use to do. My friends have advised me on how to cut cost. That with N100,000 or N150, 000 I can buy meat of ram, and prepare for both family members, friends and neighbours rather than spending over N450,000 to buy one fat and big ram,” he noted.

Belahu added that he resorted to taking public buses because no matter the increment in public transportation, it is more affordable way to cut cost.

“When I went just to see how market is going, one of the sellers told me the least ram is N350, 000. This made me to avoid spending so much on ram. Remember there will be other things like tomatoes, pepper, cooking oil, which must be used with the meat,” he stated.

On his part, Mr Adelani Mutario blamed the harsh economy on the outgone regime.

“The outgone regime of Muhammadu Buhari brought untold hardship on the populace. Cost of things shot up durig his regime and he crowned it up with introduction of redesigned Naira which led to Naira scarcity. In this 2023 Eidel-Kabir, I want to have it in low key unlike before when I used to share meat to my friends, neighbours; whether they are Muslims or not. I am even thinking of how to convert my gas into powering of my generator at home. Riding in public buses is my way than driving about with my car,” he pointed out.

LEADERSHIP discovered that while cost of buying ram and other items had gone high, sellers who use to bring their rams from neighbouring West African countries are blaming the increase on naira devaluation, which they said has weakened the purchasing power of the country’s currency.

According to them, the medium-sized ram they bought last year at N300, 000 is now N500, 000, adding that they will have to feed the ram on daily basis before the day, hence will rather depend on meat which they will buy from the sheep markets.