High prices of food have made it difficult for us to prepare for Ramadan —Muslims

There is excitement among Muslims as the month of Ramadan approaches. However, some Muslim faithful have said that preparation for the month of fasting has been an uphill task due to rising cost of food items, according to findings by RUKIYAT OGUNWADE.

As Muslims all over the world prepare for the holy month of Ramadan, a number Muslims in the country have lamented that the skyrocketing prices of food items have made it difficult for them to prepare for Ramadan despite the announcement of a drop in food inflation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to a report from the NBS, in this month of February, food inflation declined to 26.08 per cent from 39.84 percent recorded in December. Despite this statistic, Nigerians are still experiencing the high cost of food items sold in the market.

Ramadan is usually known for the excitement it brings to muslims when it is around the corner.  Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a month of fasting widely considered as one of the most sacred times for Muslims in the world. It occurs annually and lasts for 29 to 30 days.

During Ramadan, Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset and they are not allowed to eat or drink during daylight hours. The fast is broken at the end of the day with prayer and a festive meal called Iftar.

Foods majorly eaten during Ramadan by Nigerian muslims include rice, beans, maize, garri, Semovita, yam flour, wheat, oats and millet.

Though prices of several food items have been on the high side since last year, and have continued to fluctuate, there is apprehension that prices of food items might increase even more now that Ramadan is about to begin.

In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, a muslim in Ibadan, Mrs Rofiat Usman, stated that with

Ramadan approaching food items have become too expensive, especially the major foodstuff that are needed during the month of Ramadan.

“Ramadan is approaching, but things have become too expensive, especially the major foodstuff that we need to sustain ourselves during the month of Ramadan.

“Rice, beans, Semovita, yam flour, garri, maize and millet are so expensive that I can barely afford to buy them .We are supposed to be excited as the month of Ramadan approaches, but the month is coming with mixed feelings because we are happy the holy month is here, but unhappy because there is no money to buy foodstuffs at home in preparation of the month of Ramadan.

Another muslim, Farouk Alabi, said that even if he could afford some food items, he was not sure if he could afford to give the needy food items during Ramadan this year as instructed by the holy prophet.

“Though I already bought little amount of food items home in preparation of the month, but may Allah forgive; I am not sure if I can feed the needy this year because I am also struggling to get enough food items for the month. I cannot even send enough money home to my aged mother in Osun in preparation for the month.”

In an interview with a trader at Molete market, Ibadan, Usama Sani stated that there has not been sales unlike it used to be when Ramadan is approaching.

He said, ”People are complaining about the high prices of food, so they only buy little quantity. For example, I have a customer who buys four measures ‘congos’ of rice and tow congos of beans in one week.

But he has now resorted to buying lesser amount of food items now; he buys four to five cups. Unlike before when we sold yam flour in congos, people now buy yam flour in cups, even for Semovita! That is the situation we find ourselves now. May God help us in this country.”

He explained further: “There has not been sales unlike before when Ramadan is approaching. We have been here all morning. I have only sold a few things since and I understand it’s because people don’t have enough money to buy food items in bulk and store at home.”

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Sanni gave samples of the current prices of some food items. “For example,” he said, “a congo of yam flour is now N3,000 , a congo of garri costs N1,200; beans costs N2800 and a congo of rice sells for N3,000, a congo of millet is sold for N2,000.”

He added, “As at today, a 50kg bag of rice now sells between N80,000 and N82,000. A 100 kg bag of beans is sold for about N170,000, so what are we talking about? The prices of food items are still on the high side.”

He faulted the NBS report saying, “We can only talk about a real drop in prices of food when a bag of 50 kg rice is sold between N40,000 to N50,000.”

Also in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, a muslim cleric, Sodiq Abass, lamented that unlike before when he buys a fowl for his family to eat on the first day of a Ramadan, he could hardly afford to buy fish, pepper and other food items needed to sustain during the fasting period, saying that they are quite expensive.

“In the previous years, before things become as hard as this, I could afford a fowl for the first day of Ramadan.

“Now that a fowl now sells between N20,000 to N30,000, where am I going to get such? I can only afford to buy fish even though a mackerel fish is also sold between N2,500 to N3,000 depending on its size. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to help find a lasting solution to this as we cannot continue this way. Things are too hard for us now. I don’t how I can successfully feed my family of six through this Ramadan.”