Ram Dealers Lament Poor Sales, Blame Govt Policies
In the Spirit of Sallah celebration, Muslim clerics have stressed the need for the faithful to exhibit good conduct devoid of greed, stealing and hatred.
They said every action of a true Muslim should be aimed at pleasing Allah.
The Amir of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria, Alhaji Alatoye Folorunso Abdulazeez, noted that it is absolutely wrong for a true Muslim to cause upheaval in the society or divert public funds to private pockets and at the same time claim to have faith.
According to him, a true believer respects fellow human beings and accords them their inalienable rights if truly he or she is a believer. He added that a true Muslim will not cheat or deceive people, let alone steal as such actions are associated with those who are faithless.
In his Eid-el-Kabir message, titled ‘Backing up Faith with Positive Actions in line with the lives of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be on him), Prophet Ishmail (peace be on him), and Hazrat Hajara (peace be on her), Abdulazeez reminded Muslims that Allah’s demand from the faithful is good action backed up with good moral rectitude.
He added that what determines the fate of any man in the hereafter is his or her good deeds as stipulated by the Holy Quran 17:14.
“Our faith is insufficient to win the pleasure of Allah without appropriate positive works. Imaan or faith in Islam are the six articles of faith narrated by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),” he said.
He spoke about the six articles that every Muslim must adhere to and obey to qualify as true adherents of the faith.
His words: “Each of these articles has a profound impact in the lives of every Muslim. The articles are not just dogmatic and a mere set of theories that have no philosophical background. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an Chapter 2 verse 178, ‘It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but truly righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and spends his money for love of Him, on the kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and those who ask for charity, and for ransoming the captives; and who observes prayer and pays the Zakat; and those who fulfill their promise when they have made one, and the patient in poverty and afflictions and the steadfast in time of war; it is these who have proved truthful and it is these who are the God-fearing.”
On his part, Vice President General of Rivers State Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji (Amb) Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, urged the federal and state governments to tackle factors that have combined to take the Eid-el-Kabir celebration beyond the reach of many Muslims.
He decried the harsh economy of the country, saying the situation has caused prices of commodities, including rams, camels, goats, and cows to go up far beyond the reach of an average Muslim.
According to him, with ram costing between N400,000 and N800,000, most families have already been counted out of ram or even goat slaughtering.
The cleric advised Muslims not to borrow because they want to celebrate Sallah. He said the act of borrowing is totally forbidden. Although, he noted that the government could not donate ram to every Muslim family, he stated that they could, at least, take measures to drastically reduce the cost of rams and foodstuff.
Uhor also called on the Federal Government to strengthen the naira, curb insecurity and fix the highways as well the rail system to allow for faster bulk transporting of livestock and farm produce.
He urged Muslims to use the occasion Eid-el-Kabir to reassess their relationship with Allah by using the template set by Prophet Ibrahim (aws).
“Prophet Ibrahim (aws) defined this relationship through his pristine unquestioning faith in Allah under the most difficult circumstances. To have proceeded to sacrifice his only son in unhesitating response to Allah’s command in a vision is a monumental act of unalloyed faith in Allah the Mighty.
“Of equal weight was his son, Prophet Ismail’s total submission and willingness to be sacrificed so long as it was in obedience to Allah’s command. That is exactly the kind of faith Allah demands from mankind and the unseen creatures.
As a regular reminder, He ordained the festival for mankind’s benefit. It’s a show of uncommon mercy to mankind and should be emulated,” he added.
In his Eid-el-Kabir message, the Chief Imam of University of Lagos, Prof. Ismail Musa, commended the recent establishment of a Ministry of Livestock Development, describing it as promising, and long-term initiative.
He said the initiative should not only aim at meeting the high demand for sacrificial animals during religious festivals but also be geared towards ensuring that “supply chains remain efficient and prices reasonable — allowing more people to partake in this sacred act.”
Calling on the Muslim Ummah to see the festival as an opportunity to turn to Allah with sincere supplication for personal and collective needs, the cleric said: “Idul Adha is not merely a time of festivity, but a call to renew our commitment to Islamic values. It is a time to purify ourselves from attachments that lack moral and spiritual worth. It is a moment to sacrifice pride, greed, hatred, and selfishness, and to replace them with humility, trust, compassion, and community spirit.”
Musa enjoined those who cannot afford rams and cows to thank Allah (SWT) for the opportunity to witness another Eid-el-Kabir, which he described as a celebration of faith, sacrifice, and unity.
He said that this year’s festival is special because it coincided with a Friday, the most virtuous day of the week.
“For those who are able, it is a chance to attend two blessed congregations — the Friday Jumu’ah and the Idul Adha prayer — and to benefit from two sermons that offer guidance, hope, and reflection. It is also an occasion to turn to Allah with sincere supplication for our personal and collective needs.
“Islamic teachings are dynamic and compassionate, especially in times of economic hardship. In such periods, Islam offers flexibility: for those unable to afford a ram, a group sacrifice — such as seven people sharing a cow — is a viable and commendable alternative. And for those who cannot offer a sacrifice at all, other acts of devotion remain fully open: glorifying Allah (Takbir), performing the Id prayer, showing kindness to others, and dedicating ourselves to prayer over the three sacred days,” he added.
The Guardian learnt that many ram sellers across Nigeria, especially those who rely on open market sales had a dull time during this year’s Eid al-Adha celebration as sales fell far below expectations.
From major markets in Lagos to smaller ones in the North, sellers said they experienced one of the slowest festive periods in recent years.
According to them, while 2024 was considered a difficult year for ram sales, 2025 was worse.
Ibrahim Al-Hassan, a ram seller from Kano who travelled to Lagos with some rams for sale, said this year’s prices discouraged many buyers.
“Last year was better because rams were cheaper. This year, people came to the market but couldn’t buy because it was too expensive. The cost of transportation is also a big reason for the price increase.”
According to him, a small ram that sold for ₦100,000 in 2024 went for ₦200,000 this year. “My most expensive ram this year was ₦400,000, and the cheapest was ₦200,000. Last year, I had rams between ₦100,000 and ₦120,000,” he added.
Muhammad Awal, who came from Adamawa, shared similar concerns. He said the price of rams increased significantly compared to last year. “We used to buy rams from neighbouring countries and bring them to Nigeria to sell. But now, people are taking rams from Nigeria to neighbouring countries like Niger and Chad because their currencies are stronger.”
Awal said his most expensive ram this year was ₦600,000, and the cheapest was ₦250,000. He stated that last year, his top-priced ram was ₦400,000, and the lowest was ₦150,000.
Abubakar Suleiman, another trader, said buyers only bought rams to meet the basic religious requirement and avoided the larger ones.
“Even those who came to buy went for smaller rams. I brought rams worth ₦500,000, ₦600,000, and ₦700,000 to the market, but they are still here. People said they were too expensive, and many went for the ₦200,000 to ₦300,000 range,” he disclosed.
Many regular buyers confirmed that they had to either give up buying a ram this year or settle for a much smaller one.
Sadiq Abdurrazaq Babatunde, a chartered accountant, said he could not afford a ram this time. “The cost of rams has gone up, but it’s not just that,” he said. “The cost of other things like pepper, rice, and even cooking gas has also increased.”
He explained that last year, he bought a ram in Ilorin for ₦220,000 and spent ₦20,000 to transport it to Lagos. “That same size now goes for between ₦450,000 and ₦480,000. It’s double the price.”
He blamed the high cost of fuel for the development.
“Celebrations like this should be a time for people to reflect and be happy, but the high prices made it hard for many families,” he said.
