As Nigerians gear up for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration, ram traders in the Ibafo, Kara and Agege markets of Ogun and Lagos states on Wednesday lamented low patronage, blaming it on the rising cost and economic downturn.

The traders who spoke separately with our correspondents said there was a decline in patronage compared to what was applicable last year because of the hike in the price of rams in the market.

They added that the cost of sourcing the rams from the Northern parts of the country had skyrocketed and contributed to the high cost they were selling.

A trader in the Ibafo market, Rabiu Abubakar, lamented that the patronage compared to last year was not encouraging, adding that the cost of sourcing the rams from the North has affected the pricing of the rams.

Rabiu said, “If you were to be here by this time last year, you would not meet people sitting down like this. Last year’s sales were impressive, I’m telling you, but this year’s sales have been slow.’’

“The rams that we sold for N150,000 -N180,000 last year now sell for N250,000 – N280,000, which translates to a 55.5% increase. We cannot buy it cheap at Arewa and sell it at a higher price. We are pricing based on what we were able to buy, which is costlier compared to the previous year.”

Another ram seller, Sabo Sheu, corroborated the opinion of Rabiu and added that the cost of transport from the North to the West was another factor that had contributed to the rising cost.

He explained that buyers were complaining about the price increase, which had resulted in low sales.

“Before, we sold our rams on time, but now, we just sit down, because there are no sales. There is no mass movement of customers, and we only see a few customers come into the market,” Sabo lamented.

At the popular abattoir market in the Agege area of Lagos State, a PUNCH Metro correspondent observed that the market was scanty, while only a few traders and customers were engaging in trade.

A trader, Olalere Oriyomi, in an interview with our correspondent, lamented the wide margin in the price of rams last year and this year.

He said, “There’s a huge difference in the price of the rams this year compared to last year. The difference is between N50,000 and N100,000. Rams that were sold for N350,000 last year are now being sold for N500,000 this year.”

Oriyomi also expressed worry about the low patronage caused by the high prices of ram, adding that “usually, the abattoir is supposed to be crowded by now, which is Tuesday, since Sallah is on Friday. But people are not coming to buy rams because of the high cost.”

Another seller, who identified himself as Abu Muhammed, attributed the high prices of ram partly to the high cost of animal feed, whilst lamenting low sales.

“Animal feeds are very costly too, and they contribute to how expensive the rams are this year. Also, the cost of rams is high, and it’s affecting sales because by now, I should have sold all my rams, but people are not coming to buy because they cannot afford the high cost of buying them,” Muhammed said

A trader who refused to give his name said the buyers were only buying because they did not have a choice, as it is a tradition in Islam to celebrate with a ram.

He said, “A lot of people who are buying are buying because they do not have a choice in the matter. They have been killing rams to celebrate Sallah for years, so they try to get money to buy the one they can afford, despite the cost.”

In the Kara market along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the traders also expressed similar concerns

A seller, Idris Ishera, shared his perspective, “So, this year, we have plenty of rams in the market, and the market is so dull because there is no market like last year.

“The price is so high, and people are not buying; there is no market at all. That’s what we are seeing in the market. All the rams we have are good. I think it is because there is no money in the country.”

He added, “So, we have a big ram of N1m but last year, we had a ram of N150,00 and N200,000. But this year, the ram of N150,000 is not there. So the minimum amount of rams we have is N250,000 while the maximum is N1m.”

He, however, appreciated the government for managing the traffic situation along the expressway, which he said had forestalled traffic congestion.

“I appreciate the state government and local government. I need to appreciate them because there is no traffic around this spot this year. Initially, we thought there would be traffic because of the number of rams beside the road and the number of people patronising, but to my surprise, everywhere is always clear, no go-slow.”

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has stated that it is committed to ensuring the safety of residents during and after the celebration period.

The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday.

“The government does not fix prices of goods, it is a matter of supply and demand. We are only working in hand with security agencies to ensure that lives and property are protected during and after the celebration.

“We urge residents to shun speeding and drive safely as they celebrate,” Akinmade said.

PUNCH reports that the Federal Government has declared Friday, June 6 and Monday, June 9, as public holidays for the Eid celebration.