The Eid-el-Kabir, popularly called Ileya in Nigeria, is a Muslim festival celebrated about 68 to 70 days after Ramadan fasting. With the current economic situation in Nigeria, citizens of the Ijebu-Igbo community have expressed difficulty in engaging in this festival, which to many is a religious duty.
The Ileya celebration, which commenced on Sunday, saw many lamenting about the inability to purchase rams and other animals, which are necessary for the festival. An average ram costs about 300,000 to 500,000 naira, and a cow over one million naira, causing many Muslims to lose hope in sacrificing a ram during this festival.
The increase in the cost of goods and services has made it challenging for the average person and family to afford and celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festival as they would have wished. However, Alhaji Alashiyori Abubakar is willing to defy the current economic hardship, even though he had to empty his savings to celebrate the festival.
“It is necessary for me to kill a ram for Ileya. I am an Alhaji, and I have been to Mecca before; that is how I became an Alhaji and a faithful Muslim. I don’t have money for this Ileya, so I had to collect my money from Alaje Seku (a savings organization) to buy a ram because it is compulsory for me to kill a ram. But last year I was able to afford it. It was not as expensive as this year,” he said.
Just like Alhaji Abubakar, many Ijebu-Igbo citizens share similar fates.
Ogunbowale Pitan, a trader, was unable to celebrate the Ileya festival with her extended family because of the travel expenses. According to her, the current hardship and fuel prices took away the opportunity to be with her family in her hometown for this festival.
“I can’t go to my village for Ileya, and I like going to my homeland to celebrate, but the transportation for me and my family is just too expensive. That’s why I am celebrating here with my children,” she said. She added, “The market is not really moving, the price of goods has increased, and customers are complaining. Because of this, I couldn’t make enough sales like last year’s Ileya.”
