As Nigerians are getting set to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri to mark the end of Ramadan, there are indications that this year’s festivities may not be as colourful as the previous ones due to the prevailing economic condition in the country.
The Eid-el-Fitri celebration is a period of merrymaking and a time to feast, share love and celebrate with families and friends for the successful completion of the one-month Ramadan fasting. However, many Nigerians would be celebrating at a period of uncertainty, a time when the standard of living among families has waned considerably and many people are living from hand to mouth over the skyrocketing cost of food items and other valuables that would make the celebration worthwhile.
Our correspondents who spoke with a cross section of people across states found out that people are just hoping that things would get better as they do not have the means to make elaborate preparations for Sallah.
There are indications that businesses that usually thrive during such festivities, such as boutiques, tailoring shops, parks and fast joints, may also not experience high patronage as before.
Most of the respondents blamed lack of enthusiasm for the celebration on the economic situation in the country, praying that things would get better for them to have the kind of celebration they are used to.
Kano bubbles with expectations
With Sallah approaching and the streets of Kano buzzing with anticipations, families are going to tailors for the last amendment on their dresses. For many poor families, however, Sallah is not a time for elaborate shopping or feasting, it is a time for survival.
For Rahama Ahmad, a mother of 9, this year’s Sallah is only a reminder of hard times. As other families are buying nice clothes to mark the occasion worthwhile, she has nothing to give her children. She lamented, “I didn’t buy anything because I don’t have the money. Two of my sons bought shoes, hijabs and a veil for their young sisters. But currently, we have nothing to eat, so Sallah is not our first consideration.”
Her sons, aged 20 and 22, do not have stable jobs. They perform odd jobs, such as running errands and working as labourers. Reacting to this situation she said, “It is a come-and-go thing. Some days they get something and other days they come home empty-handed.”
Weekend Trust reports that Rahama’s husband, Alhaji Ahmad, a 57-year-old laundry worker, has been finding it difficult to make ends meet.
“I did nothing for them this year. I have my laundry work at home, but it is not sufficient. My two boys are the ones keeping us going. Even now, as we speak, they are outside looking for ways to obtain money to feed us.”
An experience for families like Rahama’s is painful. In most homes, Sallah has long been a celebratory period, when children look forward to new garments, henna designs and the sweet smell of rice and stew in their homes. But for the poor, it is a bitter reminder of their hardship.
Fatima Abubakar, who has 9 children, understands this perfectly – Her eldest child is 24 and the youngest five years old. She feels the enormous responsibility of providing for a large family.
“I am just praying to see Sallah day. I could not afford to buy clothes for my children, but I acquired some on credit. I bought hijabs at N3,500 each and two pieces of Ankara at N9,500 – the best price I could get. They will have to take turns to wear them,” she said.
She hopes her children experience a pleasant celebration, saying, “I want them to get henna designs. Their elder sister can design it at home so that we don’t need to spend extra money.”
Her husband Aliyu, like most fathers in low-income families, prioritises his children’s needs over his own.
“I didn’t even buy them veils because I don’t want to take too much credit. The seller tried to persuade me, but I couldn’t pay for it. The children come first,” he said.
Sallah ought to be a time of sharing, companionship and thanksgiving, but for Rahama and Fatima’s families, it is a day of worry as the cost of living in Nigeria has made it harder for the poor to get the necessities of life, let alone engage in celebrations.
There has been a sharp rise in the prices of foodstuff in Nigeria, making items like rice, beans and meat unreachable for many people.
However, despite hardship, these families are thanking God for giving them life. “Life is hard but we are alive, and that is what is important,” Fatima’s husband said.
For the majority of poor families, life will be better.
No plan to visit recreation parks – Minna residents
Speaking with Weekend Trust, Abubakar Adamu Kuta, a civil servant, said he usually visited recreation parks with his family during Sallah, but the current economic situation would not allow him to do so this year.
“As a civil servant, I am praying and patiently waiting for my salary to be paid. It is only when salary is paid that I am hoping to have some money to buy some chicken, beef and foodstuff for Sallah.
“Actually, with the current economic reality in Nigeria, it is not easy. But as it is now, if the salary fails to come, I will not be able to do most of the things I intend to do this Sallah.
“Before the removal of fuel subsidy, I used to celebrate every Sallah by taking my children out to parks, visit relatives and even travel to my hometown in Kuta to reconnect with loved ones. But it is not really easy to do it the same way I used to because to pay those visits, you need to fuel the vehicle. So, the only visit this Sallah is to my elder sister, but for amusement parks with the children, honestly, there is no certainty to that,” he said.
Also speaking, Aisha Muhammad Kudu, a mother of two, said her family would only visit family and friends.
She said, “We are not preparing anything serious. Ours is just to visit friends and relatives, but there is nothing special. Even if you have something special to do, the country is hard, and the weather is not friendly now to expose oneself to or take children out. So, I will celebrate most of my Sallah at home with my family.
“However, the harsh economy has affected the big celebrations we used to have, but it doesn’t mean we cannot do anything. In previous celebrations, I usually prepared chin-chin snacks and zobo drinks to entertain visitors, but this year, I won’t be able to do chin-chin because of the high prices of flour and margarine. I will just make the zobo drink myself,” she said.
‘We’ll visit zoo to have fun’
In Maiduguri, the family of Aisha Abubakar said they intended to celebrate by sharing food with their neighbours and the less privileged around them, but “the situation is very hard on everyone. We are ‘suffering and smiling.’ We are going to cook enough food for people who do not have enough to celebrate with.”
She complained about the prices of food items and cloths she bought for the family, saying, “An average family has to spend a lot of money to clothe few of their kids. Imagine that a pair of children’s shoes now costs N20,000, how much would one spend on five children?
“The cost of food items is another challenge for us; that’s why we decided to do it moderately this time around. But I have to thank God for all the favours since I was able to do something for the family and even extend to the needy,” she said.
She also said her family of six planned to visit the Sanda Karimi Zoo, Maiduguri for the kids to have fun on Sallah day.
‘We foresee a bleak celebration’
Feelers from Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, indicate that lack of money is greatly affecting their level of preparation.
Speaking on the issue, a second-hand tyre seller in Ilorin, Isiaq Mashood Agaka, said he foresees a bleak Sallah because of the economic situation in the country. He, however, said his faith as a Muslim made him not to despair.
“There is no money to spend at this auspicious moment, coupled with the frustration from Customs in my business. The hardship keeps getting worse despite assurances from the government.
Another Muslim faithful and farmer, Hamza Ibrahim, said the situation in the country few days to Sallah was not encouraging and is giving people serious cause for concern. He said, “Rice of less than N2,000 is now over N7,000 for a paint rubber,” he said.
Mrs Maryam, a provision seller, was however, philosophical about it. She said, “We are only consoled by the fact that we are alive and in good health. What of those that are sick? My prayer is that we would be alive to witness the turnaround we are hoping for in the country. Things are difficult but we are thankful and hopeful to the Almighty Allah.”
Another resident, Habeebullahi AbdulAzeez, a commercial motorcycle rider, said he didn’t even have what to eat at that moment, not to talk of preparing for Sallah day celebration.
“The government should please do something about the fuel situation. As for Sallah, there is nothing God cannot do; that is my consolation, not that I have made any special preparation that should go with a period like this,” AbdulAzeez said.
Also, Mohammed Ogele, a commercial tricyclist said the situation would have been rough for him but his saving grace is the monthly contribution he took with his wife few days ago.
“That’s what we used to buy cloths for the children and made other preparations for the celebration. Without that, I don’t know what would have happened because the children don’t want to hear that there is money. The current fuel situation has eroded any profit we were making,” he added.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Muhammad Issa, an author, publisher and farmer said he hoped to come back home early from Eid ground.
“On Sallah day, I hope to come back home early because of the rigours of efforts made in the past days. I want to stay at home, rest and spend quality time with my family.
“Most of the time, we sleep before it would be time for Zuhr and we will go to the mosque to pray and come back to rest. Towards evening after Asr, my wife and I would engage in a lot of chatting and discussion with the children on issues of interest to promote bonding. Visitation to family, friends and relatives will come a day after. No plan to go out once we return from the Eid. On that day, the plan is to retire early to bed because we don’t want to stop the tahajjud (midnight supererogatory prayers).
Kaduna residents resort to cheaper meals
Eid celebration in Kaduna has always been marked by elaborate meals, with families preparing special dishes to mark the occasion. However, with the rising economic hardship in the country, many residents are now resorting to cheaper traditional meals rather than the usual feast. For many, it is no longer about what they want to eat but what they can afford.
Babangida Abdulmomin Shehu, a security guard and father of 10 said he could not buy any foodstuff for the celebration until someone gave him some rice as charity.
His wife has been rearing three chickens for months, but rather than slaughtering them for the family, she is considering selling them to buy essential commodities.
“Rice is cheaper to cook than tuwo, so we couldn’t afford to prepare anything else. My wife will only cook the small rice we have, nothing else,” he explained.
For many low-income families, rice has become the preferred choice for Sallah because it requires fewer condiments when compared to traditional dishes like tuwo.
Adamu Hassan, another security guard in Kaduna, said his wife planned to manage a mudu of rice for their children’s meal.
“If not for the children, we wouldn’t even bother to slaughter a chicken. We would have just cooked the rice like that and eaten,” he said.
Hassan, who traditionally prefers eating tuwo during Sallah, said he had to settle for rice because it was more affordable.
“The celebration is just a day. My wife will cook the rice and share it among the children. Anyway, they prefer it over tuwo,” he added.
Beyond rice, some families are turning to other local meals that require fewer condiments to prepare. Malam Awwal Sani said his wife planned to fry waina, a local pancake-like delicacy, popularly known as masa, along with vegetable soup.
“She will cook waina and vegetable soup with meat or fish for us, not rice because that is what we want to eat, at least to change the delicacy at our poor people level,” he said.
Surajudeen Abdulwasiu, a father of 10 in Nariya community, was unsure if his family would cook anything at all.
He said, “I don’t know if my two wives and 10 children, including an orphan in my custody, would have anything to cook on Sallah day. But I am thankful that we are alive to witness the day.”
Traditional meals like waina, local rice and basic vegetable soup have become the new reality for many residents in the state. While the celebration may no longer be lavish, families are holding on to the spirit of Eid, hoping for better days ahead.
Abuja residents living according to their means
Saidu Yusuf Yabagi, a resident of P.W neigbourhood in Kubwa, Abuja, said he had already provided rice for the event for his family, while hoping to participate in buying a cow through a cooperative with neighbours. The meat would be shared based on one’s contribution.
“I still have to also look for other ingredients and get clothes for my children from the tailor,” Yabagi said.
Dayyabu Muazu, a labourer in Abuja, said only half of his children could get new cloths for the Sallah celebration, noting that the older ones amongst his children would not get new clothes, just like his two wives and himself. Citing the economic situation as a major factor, the father of 10 said he was now left with the struggle to buy some measure of rice and meat to mark the Sallah festivity.
Amina Jimoh, a Point of Sale (POS) operator in Abuja, expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for sparing her life to witness this year’s Ramadan fasting. She said that after attending the eid prayer on Sallah day, she intends to visit family members to celebrate the event with them.
Mahmud Yusuf said he would celebrate the event along with his siblings and other friends in Abuja where he resides.
“I have already reserved some foodstuff and I am still expecting to do more before that day. I expect to receive some visitors and visit some people. In terms of clothing, there is no extra money for that, so I would use the ones available with me and thank the Almighty for sparing my life to witness the celebration,” Yusuf said.
Lagosians opt for low-key celebration
Some Muslim faithful in Lagos State have revealed their plans for the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations in the face of the biting economic hardship in the country.
Those who spoke with Weekend Trust said they planned to make do with old cloths, cut down food menus and rely on acts of charity during the celebrations.
According to them, they are opting for a low-key Sallah festival that would not mount pressure on them and make them to incur debts.
Ibrahim Tajudeen, the head of a family of six, who lives in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State said: “I am anticipating to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri in a joyous manner, but as the head of the family of six, the soaring cost of food items has made it extremely difficult to plan for a proper celebration.
“What used to be a joyous feast with family and friends is now a struggle as basic staples like rice, meat and oil have become almost unaffordable. Many of us are forced to cut down on traditional meals or rely on charity to make the celebration meaningful.”
Another resident of Lagos, Amadu Ganiyu, said he was planning to celebrate Sallah with family on a low-key in view of the cost of living crisis. He said every family was adjusting to the present economic reality in the country.
He said, “Surely, the escalating food prices will impact Sallah celebration. Dishes like jollof rice will become less accessible, which means that we will have to adjust our menus.
“We might even opt for smaller portions of beef, chicken or fish. In the same vein, the tradition of giving food to neighbours will be limited due to financial constraints.”
Also, Karimot Asabi Adewuyi, an entrepreneur and resident of Ajah, said it was a season of managing whatever they have because the country is not smiling at the moment.
She said, “The country is tough at the moment, people can barely eat three square meals a day. The truth of the matter is that the country is not smiling. This was not the case in the past. The cost of living crisis is getting worse and people are struggling to survive. However, as a Muslim, the most important thing for me to do on Sallah day is to observe my eid prayers in the mosque and go back home to sleep. Whatever we have at home, my husband and I will eat it in love.”
Also, Afeez Rabiu, a civil servant said Sallah celebration this year would be modest given the harsh economic reality in the country.
“While the spirit of celebration remains, the financial strain is undeniable. This Sallah, the focus will be on gratitude, faith and sharing within my means rather than engaging on extravagance,” he said.
Omodolapo Zainab, a resident of Magodo said that notwithstanding the challenges in the country, she planned to spend the day thanking God for witnessing the solemn occasion.
She said, “I will take a moment to reflect on the blessings of Ramadan and carry its lessons forward.”
Muhammadu Abdulganiyu, an Islamic teacher, expressed his trust for provisions of Allah, saying he would celebrate the Sallah festival according to his means.
“There is an adage in Yoruba that says you celebrate festivals based on your status. You don’t need to stress yourself because you want to celebrate Sallah. You will celebrate with what you have and not with constraint. For me, whatever Allah does for me is Alimadubillah,” he said.
Contributions from Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin), Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Maiduguri), Adebayo Gbenga (Lagos), Abubakar Akote (Minna), Rahima Shehu Dokaji (Kano), Adam Umar(Abuja) & Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba, Kaduna