As Nigerians gear up for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration, ram traders in the Ibafo, Kara and Agege markets of Ogun and Lagos states on Wednesday lamented low patronage, blaming it on the rising cost and economic downturn.

The traders who spoke separately said there was a decline in patronage compared to what was applicable last year because of the hike in the price of rams in the market.

They added that the cost of sourcing the rams from the Northern parts of the country had skyrocketed and contributed to the high cost they were selling.

A trader in the Ibafo market, Rabiu Abubakar, lamented that the patronage compared to last year was not encouraging, adding that the cost of sourcing the rams from the North has affected the pricing of the rams.

Rabiu said, “If you were to be here by this time last year, you would not meet people sitting down like this. Last year’s sales were impressive, I’m telling you, but this year’s sales have been slow.’’

“The rams that we sold for N150,000 -N180,000 last year now sell for N250,000 – N280,000, which translates to a 55.5% increase.

We cannot buy it cheap at Arewa and sell it at a higher price. We are pricing based on what we were able to buy, which is costlier compared to the previous year.

”Another ram seller, Sabo Sheu, corroborated the opinion of Rabiu and added that the cost of transport from the North to the West was another factor that had contributed to the rising cost.

He explained that buyers were complaining about the price increase, which had resulted in low sales.

“Before, we sold our rams on time, but now, we just sit down, because there are no sales.

There is no mass movement of customers, and we only see a few customers come into the market,” Sabo lamented.

At the popular abattoir market in the Agege area of Lagos State, it was observed that the market was scanty, while only a few traders and customers were engaging in trade.

A trader, Olalere Oriyomi, in an interview with our correspondent, lamented the wide margin in the price of rams last year and this year.

He said, “There’s a huge difference in the price of the rams this year compared to last year. The difference is between N50,000 and N100,000.

Rams that were sold for N350,000 last year are now being sold for N500,000 this year.”

Oriyomi also expressed worry about the low patronage caused by the high prices of ram, adding that “usually, the abattoir is supposed to be crowded by now, which is Tuesday, since Sallah is on Friday.

But people are not coming to buy rams because of the high cost.”

Another seller, who identified himself as Abu Muhammed, attributed the high prices of ram partly to the high cost of animal feed, whilst lamenting low sales.

“Animal feeds are very costly too, and they contribute to how expensive the rams are this year. Also, the cost of rams is high, and it’s affecting sales because by now, I should have sold all my rams, but people are not coming to buy because they cannot afford the high cost of buying them,” Muhammed said.

A trader who refused to give his name said the buyers were only buying because they did not have a choice, as it is a tradition in Islam to celebrate with a ram.

He said, “A lot of people who are buying are buying because they do not have a choice in the matter. They have been killing rams to celebrate Sallah for years, so they try to get money to buy the one they can afford, despite the cost.

”In the Kara market along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the traders also expressed similar concerns.

A seller, Idris Ishera, shared his perspective, “So, this year, we have plenty of rams in the market, and the market is so dull because there is no market like last year.

“The price is so high, and people are not buying; there is no market at all. That’s what we are seeing in the market. All the rams we have are good. I think it is because there is no money in the country.

”He added, “So, we have a big ram of N1m but last year, we had a ram of N150,00 and N200,000. But this year, the ram of N150,000 is not there. So the minimum amount of rams we have is N250,000 while the maximum is N1m.”

He, however, appreciated the government for managing the traffic situation along the expressway, which he said had forestalled traffic congestion.

“I appreciate the state government and local government. I need to appreciate them because there is no traffic around this spot this year.

Initially, we thought there would be traffic because of the number of rams beside the road and the number of people patronising, but to my surprise, everywhere is always clear, no go-slow.”

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has stated that it is committed to ensuring the safety of residents during and after the celebration period.

The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, disclosed this on Tuesday.

“The government does not fix prices of goods, it is a matter of supply and demand. We are only working in hand with security agencies to ensure that lives and property are protected during and after the celebration.

“We urge residents to shun speeding and drive safely as they celebrate,” Akinmade said.

The Anambra State Government has debunked the misinformation, malicious and deliberately fabricated online publication and social media comments in the video of the recently arrested Native doctor in the state.

In a press statement signed by Christian Aburime, the state Press Secretary to the Governor on June 4, 2025, the State Government debunked the allegations that the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, consulted a native doctor regarding his reelection prospects, stressing that the information is totally false.

The statement reads: The attention of Anambra State Government has been drawn to a malicious and deliberately fabricated online publication and social media comments making spurious claims that the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, consulted a native doctor regarding his reelection prospects.

The State Government hereby debunks the allegations as totally false. For the interest of the general public, the video clip being maliciously circulated and misrepresented, as evidence of native doctor consultation, was taken during a recent official government meeting with Anambra-based content creators.

The session, facilitated by the Special Senior Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, was organised to strengthen the partnership between the State Government and the creative industry as part of Governor Soludo’s commitment in encouraging and supporting Anambra’s creative economy.

During the interactive session, content creators were encouraged to showcase their talents, ask questions, and share their concerns about the creative industry in the state.

As part of the presentations, one of the content creators performed a native doctor skit, a common comic genre in Nigerian entertainment, to demonstrate their creative abilities to the Governor and other officials present.

This was purely an entertainment performance by a content creator, not a consultation session. The State Government thus found it deeply disappointing that critics and political opponents would stoop so low as to deliberately fabricate malicious narratives from an innocent entertainment performance and spread misinformation to mislead the public.

Rather than engage in frivolous consultations, Governor Soludo has consistently demonstrated his commitment to developing Anambra’s creative economy through investment plans as part of the state’s economic diversification strategy.

The recently commissioned SOLUTION FUN CITY project is part of such investment plans.

The State Government also clarified that Governor Soludo does not need consultations with any native doctor to win reelection, as he relies solely on the support of Ndi Anambra based on his impressive performance and focus on delivering the SOLUTION AGENDA by transforming Anambra State into a livable and prosperous homeland.

Therefore, the Anambra State Government calls on Ndi Anambra, media channels and social media users to disregard the misinformation concerning the circulated video clip.

The public is also urged to always verify information before sharing or amplifying content and reject malicious stories sponsored to mislead the public.

As always, Governor Soludo remains committed to the development of Anambra State and will not be deterred by the antics of desperate political opponents who have chosen the path of falsehood over constructive engagement.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to his Lagos residence for a private meeting on Monday.

Accompanying the governor was his elder brother and renowned businessman, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, along with his son, internationally acclaimed Afrobeats artiste David Adeleke, widely known by his stage name, Davido.

The visit was announced in a post by President Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, who shared details on X on Tuesday.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu receives in audience H.E. Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun State, along with Chief Adedeji Adeleke and his son, Afrobeats icon Davido, at his Lagos residence,” Olusegun wrote.

As of the time of filing this report, the reason for the courtesy call had not been made public, and no official statement has been issued either by the Presidency or the Adeleke family.

Images from the visit have surfaced on social media, capturing moments from the closed-door meeting between the President and the Adeleke family members.