Festivity In Austerity

Barka da sallah!(greetings of sallah) rent the air as Muslim faithfuls celebrate.

Observations from different locations today in Nigeria is reflective of the recession in the economy . However, it seemed that the economic situation wasn't able to cast its full shadow on the eid festival. As few elites make merry celebrating in style, the majority of the  people had series of depressive moments worrying about the
high rise in cost of commodities, in food markets nation wide, especially those items associated with the festivity. One common observation is the cost of rams which ranges between =N=30,000 - =N=40,000 for the unhealthy looking rams, =N=50,000 - =N=80,000 for the fairly healthy ones and from =N=100,000 above for the fattened and nourished rams, the types we saw tied to poles in those houses occupied by the elite community.
For some reasons it isn't amazing why the number of low-quality  and low-cost rams are highest on various sales stand across Lagos and other smaller locations. This could only be likened to the fact that the majority of the population are left with the option of this low-cost,low-quality foods to survive the austere time. But in the case of a "sacred offering" as it were, one would question the idea behind the use of emaciated rams.
Rice being a staple food in Nigeria is another commodity whose price is heart wrecking, between the range of 25,000 to 30,000 naira, far above the 18,000 naira minimum wage of the average citizen. Literary speaking, the common man had been denied the right and benefit of performing his religious duties or rites as it were.
The good news is that some members of the low social class, even non Muslim benefited from the generosity of the ram sharing formula, as we understood that two parts of the slaughtered ram is meant to be given out as gift while the third part is retained by the owner. That's good! At least the poor could smile after all.

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