Five days to the celebration of Eid-el-kabir, it appears  many Muslims in Oyo State will not be able to slaughter rams, the symbol of the celebration.

This is because the rams are costly compared to what obtained last year.

In Ibadan, the state capital, a ram that was sold for N15,000 last year now sells for N25,000.

The cheapest ram that would meet the stipulated standard for the celebration is N25,000 and above.

As a result, many Muslims in the state are yet to purchase rams, while others are waiting until two or three days to the festival believing that the prices would have reduced.

The situation is made worse by the fact that  most salary earners have not been paid their October salaries which most Muslim salary earners depend for the celebration of the festival.

A ram seller in Ibadan, Abdul Rahaman, said  apart form the crises in the northern part of the country caused by  the Boko Haram sect, the transportation cost and logistics were responsible for the high cost of the rams.

Another reason, according to him, is the high exchange rate in view of the fact that the rams were bought from Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad.

“To bring the rams to Nigeria is not easy. Apart from the high exchange rate, there was the problem of transportation and logistics,” Rahaman said.

Meanwhile, Muslims across the country are complaining about the high cost of rams, cows and goats, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Muslim faithful expressed the worry about the rising cost in a nationwide survey conducted on Tuesday.

A check by NAN in Auchi and its environs showed that the prices of the animals increased by more than 80 per cent compared with the range in the same period in 2010.

The buyers of the animals, mostly Muslims who are preparing for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, said the sharp price hike might affect their ability to slaughter an animal for the Sallah sacrifice.

Commenting on the situation, an adherent, Mrs Faith Agbeadokhai, complained that she had been roaming the market for hours hoping to buy a ram at a reasonable amount but had no option than to buy it the way it was.

“Although it is not obligatory for every Muslim to slaughter an animal, we just try to do it to fulfil all righteousness.”

Another Muslim buyer, Mr Raheem Garuba, also said that animal slaughtering was not obligatory but added that “slaughtering of ram to celebrate Sallah is kind of a must for those who can afford it.

“I have no alternative than to wait until the last minute before the Sallah to see if the price will come down.”

Mr Lucky Ajayi, who was also in the market to buy a ram, complained that “I really do not know what is happening, the prices are just too high.

“What are our leaders doing to see to it that the poor masses have a place in this country?”

However, the story is different in Katsina State, as the prices of rams have crashed five days to the  celebration.

A survey conducted by NAN at the markets in Katsina, Dankama, Mai'adua, Jibia, Charanchi, Kafur and Dandume showed that the prices were down, compared with the levels in the same period in 2010.

A ram which went for N30,000 last year now cost about N25,000 in all the markets visited.

The sellers said they had to lower the prices because of the general poor economy and the non-payment of October salaries to workers in the state.

One of the ram sellers at Yar'kutungu market in Katsina, Mallam Marwana Lawal, complained that he hardly sold two rams a day this year, compared to the 10 to 15 rams he usually sold a day last year.

This was contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Alhaji Sheidu Ozigis, on behalf of the minister, Abba Moro.

A copy of the statement was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The statement said: “President Goodluck Jonathan wishes to use this opportunity to urge all Muslim faithful to pray for enduring peace and progress of the country.

“ Moro also wishes all Nigerians a pleasant Eid-el-Kabir celebration.''

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