As the 2025 Eid-el-Kabir celebration gets underway, the traditional spirit of sacrificing rams among Nigerian Muslims is under pressure, with many now resorting to cheaper alternatives due to skyrocketing prices of the rams.
This was observed during it was visits to Mandate Market, Adeta Roundabout Ram Market, and Oja Tuntun Market in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday afternoon.
Traders and residents alike lamented the crushing impact of inflation, insecurity, and the declining purchasing power under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Nigerian Muslims are expected to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir on Friday, along with other faithfuls around the world.
At Mandate Market, where hundreds of rams were tethered under the sun, the atmosphere was unusually dull.
Sellers stood idle, watching passersby who mostly came to ask prices and walk away in disbelief.
“This time last year, we were already selling well. Now, people just ask for prices and go,” said Samad Babatunde, a livestock trader.
Babatunde continued: “A small ram that we sold for N45,000 last year is now between N60,000 to N80,000. The bigger ones are N150,000 upwards. How many could afford that?”
Another seller, Musa, blamed the high cost on widespread insecurity in the North, where most of the livestock comes from.
“This business I have been doing for more than 10 years. Most of the rams here were transported here from the core northern states. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying our people also do not rear rams, we do. But they are not enough. Do you know these homegrown rams are even the most expensive in the market compared to the ones brought from the north?
“We are not surprised that things are like this. People always blame the sellers that we intentionally increase the price but they forget that we sell what we buy. We have to make profits too.
Our suppliers in the north are complaining that bandits have taken over many grazing areas. Transporting rams is now dangerous and expensive. Drivers charge double because of fear of attacks and bad roads,” he explained.
“Even when we manage to bring them, customers are not buying. Everything has risen,” he added.
Residents shared similar frustrations.
Many who used to buy multiple rams for the annual celebration are now scaling down or turning to joint purchases.
“I bought three rams last year. This year, I can only afford one, and I had to join two of my brothers to buy a cow together,” said a civil servant, who simply identified himself as Mr Taiwo.
It was observed further that in some households, chickens are fast replacing rams altogether.
Some sellers also confirmed that the patronage of chickens on Thursday is unusual as against the previous Sallah Festival.
“Even chicken meat is now expensive, but at least it’s manageable. A big live chicken is around N18,000 to N20,000, and you can still buy frozen ones for less,” a chicken seller at Mandate Market who spoke to the media.
He said: “We are selling more chickens this Sallah. Some people are buying four or five chickens to share within their families instead of killing a ram.”
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