Empty streets, crammed parks as Abuja celebrates Eid-el-Kabir

Bello Aminu, a resident of Karu Site told Sunday Trust that ‘thanks to the festive period, I can now drive from my house to town without the usual traffic jam.” he said. Elsewhere in the city, light traffic was observed as most of the roads were deserted. Mohammed Suleiman a resident of Garki ll explained […]

Bello Aminu, a resident of Karu Site told Sunday Trust that ‘thanks to the festive period, I can now drive from my house to town without the usual traffic jam.” he said.

Elsewhere in the city, light traffic was observed as most of the roads were deserted. Mohammed Suleiman a resident of Garki ll explained that “most people have travelled to celebrate Sallah with their loved ones elsewhere that explains why the roads and even the markets are empty.” But while major roads in the city were empty, various parks and gardens that dot the city centre were bustling with activities of fun lovers who thronged the gardens to enjoy themselves.

At the popular millennium park, people were seen in large numbers enjoying the serene atmosphere of the garden. Tade Olufisan, a businessman told this medium that “I brought my family here to savour the holidays and to enjoy ourselves in the spirit of Sallah.” While savouring his bottle of coke, Ibrahim Okunowo explained that, “I love coming here to relax during festive periods like this where you get to see other families and generally enjoy the season.”

While workers in the predominantly civil service city want a longer holiday, at least to avoid the daily rigorous traffic from the outskirts to the city centre, traders, except those at the ram markets, said the event has hardly made any difference commercially.

When Sunday Trust visited Nyanya market, Abuja, on Friday, residents were seen making last minute Sallah shopping. It was also gathered that prices of food stuffs and other comedies have skyrocketed. Rams that were sold for N30,000 now go for up to N70,000 while the big ones that were bought at N70,000 are now sold at N120,000. “I can afford to buy a ram at N120,000, this is outrageous,” cried Mallam Yinusa, who came to buy a ram in the market. “My brother, what is happening in this country? If the highly rich can afford to buy, most of us cannot. The question now is, what can we do?” asked rhetorically.

A ram seller in Nyanya market attributed the increase in prices to cost of transportation and money spent on feeds. “Transportation is one thing that has made us to increase the prices of rams. We must add some money so as to make profit”. He went on to say that “the prices of feeds have also increased. As the animals cannot freely graze, we buy feeds for them at a higher price than what was obtainable before.

The few buyers at the markets said they had no money .While speaking to Sunday Trust, Fatimah Bello, a house wife who came to the market with her two children, said she needed to pick a few items to keep her family busy.

While Abuja roads and markets were deserted during the break, the motor parks were a beehive of activities. A visit to the Jabi motor park revealed a flurry of activities by commuters who were in a hurry to catch buses heading to their destinations. One of the bus drivers who spoke to Sunday Trust expressed satisfaction that ‘business is moving very well.” According to Dawood Omoba who plies Abuja to Lagos with his Mazda bus, periods like Sallah and Christmas break is are opportunities to make good money. “I always look forward to times like this when passengers come in good numbers and we make easy money, you don’t have to wait for long before your vehicle gets filled up.” He enthused.

But while the interstate bus drivers said savouring the good business opportunity that comes with the Sallah break, their counterparts who operate within Abuja city are bemoaning their fate. Kolawole Alao a commercial cab driver who operates within the city “my brother business is not good. I have been driving around town for almost an hour now and I have not seen passengers. Everybody has gone to their villages.” he lamented.  

A visit to major motor parks in the federal capital city reveals an avalanche of eager passengers waiting to board vehicles to their respective destinations.  One of the travellers expressed gratitude to the federal government for declaring Thursday and Friday as public holidays. According to Ismail Baba, “I am happy that Thursday and Friday were declared as holidays. That means I have a long weekend which I intend to spend with my family in Kaduna.”