Civil servants in Oyo State on Tuesday identified the exorbitant prices of rams and the high cost of fuel as impediments to the way they would have celebrated the Eid-el-Kabir.

The workers from the state and federal ministries said the likelihood of celebrating the festival with rams was doubtful.

A worker with the state government, Isiaka Olatunde, said the prices of rams had gone beyond the reach of an average civil servant.

”Not even a full month’s salary could be enough to buy an average size ram.

“A ram, which sold for N100,000 last year, is now between N180,000 and N200,000,” he said.

Mr Olatunde, however, said he had made an alternative plan to ensure that his family enjoyed the celebration without necessarily killing a ram.

Another state government worker, Jimoh Gbamila, said he had arranged with some friends to contribute money to buy and share a cow among themselves, instead of buying rams at exorbitant prices.

Meanwhile, a federal government worker, Rasidat Suleiman, linked the high cost of rams and other goods to the removal of fuel subsidy.

Mr Suleiman said she had, however, supported her husband with N80,000 to enable him get a ram at the cost of N220,000.

According to her, the size of the ram bought at N220,000 was about the size of the one bought at N110,000 last year.

Mukaila Adekunle, a federal government worker, said the delay in the payment of June salary would deny him the opportunity of buying a ram at a moderate price.

This is as a result of prices which have kept increasing daily.

The Chief Imam of The Polytechnic Ibadan, Adeyemi Hamzat, on his part called on Muslims not to push themselves in trying to celebrate the festival with rams.

Mr Hamzat said that while killing of rams for Eid-el-Kabir was one of the rites in Islam, it however has a condition considering the financial capability of individuals.

According to the cleric, buying rams for sacrifice during the festival is only compulsory for those with the financial capability.

“It is never compulsory or a crime for Muslims who cannot afford it.

“Honestly, you don’t have to go the extral mile if you cannot afford to buy a ram. So, take it softly,” he said.

The cleric further said it was also forbidden to take interest-yielding loans to buy rams for the festival, adding that only non-interest loans were allowed.

“The concept of taking loans is because you do not have the capacity for now. But later, you will have.

“For example, a salary earner, looking towards getting money by the end of the month, can take non-interest loans to buy rams,” he said. 

(NAN)