By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Amid high living costs, some Muslim and Christian clerics in Kaduna have formed a coalition, calling on roadside livestock traders to reduce the price of rams ahead of Eid-el-Kabir.
Led by Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru, the group toured various animal selling points in Kaduna on Friday with the purpose to convey season’s greetings to the livestock sellers and appeal for lower prices on rams and other animals, to enable more Muslims to afford them for the Sallah celebration.
Pastor Buru emphasized the necessity of this intervention, noting that the price hike has placed the animals beyond the reach of the average Muslim.
The group visited several roadside livestock markets, including those selling sheep, goats, and cattle, as buyers began their preparations for the festivities.
Pastor Buru noted that for the past 10 years, he has visited ram markets during this season, consistently appealing to sellers to reduce prices to make rams more affordable for Muslims during the Sallah festivities. He added that such efforts also serve to enhance and strengthen Christian-Muslim relationships in the state.
He mentioned that this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration comes amidst high living costs, security challenges, and the devaluation of the naira due to the dollar.
“We usually visit sheep markets because sheep are more desirable than goats and cattle during this period. Eid al-Adha generates high profits for roadside livestock traders in Nigeria,” he said.
Pastor Buru highlighted that the Holy Qur’an commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son at Allah’s command, who was then substituted by a ram. This act is perpetuated in Islam through the sacrifice of animals during Eid al-Adha.
He wished Muslims worldwide a happy Sallah in advance and expressed hope for reduced prices.
Similarly, Imam Husaini Ilyasu, the Chief Imam of Udawa Central Mosque and a leader within the Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI) Kaduna, emphasized the need for ram sellers to lower their prices for the Sallah festivities. He also called on other food sellers to reduce their prices, allowing Muslims to celebrate with joy and happiness.
Imam Ilyasu highlighted the importance of joining hands with Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru in continuous prayers and fasting for divine intervention in the current global situation. He thanked Pastor Buru for his efforts in mobilizing pastors and imams to visit markets and encourage fair business practices.
Responding to the clerics’ appeal, Mallam Musa Dallami, a ram seller along Waff Road, Kaduna, explained that the rising cost of living has impacted all sectors. He noted that the cost of feeding rams and other animals is extremely high, with many rams sourced from distant locations.
He added that the removal of fuel subsidies in the country has triggered price increases across the board.
“Don’t blame us for the cost of rams and other animals during this season because we also have to buy food and other supplies for our families,” Dallami said. He urged government intervention to address the rising costs of food and other necessities in the country.
Another ram seller, Sani Musa, at Kasuwar Barnawa market, thanked Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru and his group for their compassion. However, he insisted that ram prices remain within the reach of average Muslims, although security challenges have led to a scarcity of domestic animals.
It could be recalled that annually, Pastor Buru mobilizes 50 Muslim and Christian scholars to visit markets, urging sellers to cut prices to make food more accessible to citizens, during Ramadan
