Unlike previous years, few people turned up at the National Theatre, Iganmu in Lagos State to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festival which continued on Wednesday.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored happenings in the area reports that the usual hive of activity during festive seasons was absent, with business also low.
Some of those present at the theatre to either conduct business or to celebrate the Sallah with their families told NAN of their experiences in the area.
Mr Ibrahim Musa, a professional bike racer, told NAN that he only brought his horse to the theatre to give free rides to children celebrating the Sallah.
“I don’t stay in this area, but in the spirit of the Sallah, I brought my horse for children to ride and enjoy themselves during this festive period.
“The horse ride is free for children, but adults will only pay me whatever they have; It is at no fixed price, this is my little contribution to the Eid celebration.”
On the other hand, Mr Samuel Adebayo, a professional photographer, told NAN that over the years, patronage has been shrinking owing to the economic situation of the country, which is also showing during the Sallah.
Apart from the economy, he said that the current digital revolution had also affected his own business.
“In the past, people swarm around photographers, just to get their pictures taken, but nowadays, they don’t see the need to patronise us anymore, as an average person has a camera phone.
“Some people go as far as to tell you that their phone cameras take better pictures than the camera you have around your neck.
“During festive periods such as this, we normally make five times of what we make on a normal day, but not in recent times.
“I have been coming to the National Theatre for almost 10 years and business used to be very profitable, but of recent, we are just trying to make ends meet,” Adebayo said.
Bukola Obashorun, who was also at the theatre with four of her younger siblings, told NAN that she was grateful to Allah for life.
She said that in the spirit of the celebration, she brought her siblings to the National Theatre to have fun and enlighten them on the national heritage.
NAN reports that unlike in the past, many shops remained closed on Wednesday, while the ones that opened for business had few customers to attend to. (NAN)
