Nigerian pilgrims on shopping spree

25.12.2007

Nigerian pilgrims have flooded markets in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, shopping for gifts for relations and friends.

The markets, mostly patronised by the Nigerians, are the popular multi-purpose Balad Bab-Sharif and Palestine Mobile markets. Items being purchased by the pilgrims are assorted textiles, GSM handsets, foot wear, wrist watches and household items.

The pilgrims were going to the markets in groups of between two and five people. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent in Jeddah observed that most of the Nigerian shoppers were women.

It was gathered that Nigerians on last-minute shopping came to the holy land through tour operators. “I came from Kano with my mother for the Hajj and we have to buy something for people back home,” a teenager told NAN.

Most traders offered discounts to woo the Nigerian pilgrims. According to Salim Siddiqque, a textiles trader in the Balad Bab-Sharif market, “I like Nigerians. I have customers from Kano, Abuja, Katsina, Sokoto.”

Siddiqque said that the traders were always happy when it was time for Hajj and the Umrah. Senegalese, Nigeriens and Ghanaians were also busy shopping. Meanwhile, the National Amirul Hajj, Senator Teslim Folarin, has reminded the pilgrims of the need to adhere strictly to the luggage policy.

“This is to avoid the problem of missing luggage and the payment of excess charges,” he said on Monday at the post-Arafat meeting in Jeddah.