Eid El-Kabir: Recreation Centres Record Low Patronage

• Nigerians Blame Low-Key Celebration On Recession

As Muslims celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir, operators of recreation centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos have expressed frustration over low patronage of their services A check at some recreation centres showed that there was not much happening at the facilities.

At Magicland Amusement Park in Abuja, few families, friends and children were seen playing indoor games because of the wet weather arising from the early morning rain in the city. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that few people were at Silverbird Entertainment, Monaliza and Millennium parks in the nation’s capital and operators blamed the situation on the hard economic situation and the rain. Mr. Paul Oko, Personnel Manager of Magicland, said that the park made adequate preparations to satisfy customers, but that the low patronage was discouraging.

“The rain that fell this early morning contributed to the low patronage, even though a lot of people have complained of economic crunch,” he said. In Lagos, tourist sites witnessed low patronage of visitors. A visit to the Badagry Heritage Museum, the first storey building, Seriki Abass Museum and the Vkelete Slave Market revealed that there were little or no turnout of tourists to these sites.

The Seriki Abass Museum, usually besieged at occasions such as this by tourists, recorded a zero turnout between noon and 2:30p.m. A tour guide, Mr. Anago James, had blamed the low turnout on present economic recession.

“The current recession in the country has resulted in low patronage of tour sites in the city and this is having a negative effect on tourism here,” he said. Mr. Ezekiel Viavoni, the Tour-Guide for the First Storey building in the country, also decried the low turnout of tourists.

Also, there were no tourists at the Badagry Heritage Museum, just as the Vkelete Slave Market was closed down for renovation. Residents of the FCT have blamed the low-key 2016 Eid-el Kabir celebration on the current economic recession in the country A NAN correspondent, who went round some parks in the FCT, reports that the usual hustling and bustling associated with the celebration was lacking. The residents said that the low-key celebration and low turnouts to the parks by fun seekers was because of the current economic recession.

At the Water Fountain Park, Kado, Mr. Dauda Ibrahim, a resident who was there with his children said that the economy was not favourable for elaborate celebration. “It is no longer news that the country is in recession; therefore, I do not expect people to have elaborate celebration in this year’s Eid-El-Kabir celebration. “There are people who cannot afford to buy ram for the sacrifice; some of them went to the market and bought meat to celebrate with their families.

“I pray that the country overcomes this recession because it is not easy; people are suffering and with the situation, you don’t expect people to celebrate,” Ibrahim said. Another fun seeker at the park, Suleiman Mohammed, a civil servant, said that he came to the park with his children to make them feel the joy of Sallah. Mohammed said it was regrettable that inflation was on a steady rise and people would prefer to have a low-key than elaborate celebration.

“The money is not even there; what my salary can afford some years ago, it can no longer afford; it is just unfortunate that things are like this. “The low turnout to the park is not a surprise, some schools have resumed and some will soon resume; parents will prefer to pay children’s school fees than spending for Sallah. “However, I pray that the government will do something very fast to cushion the effect of the hardship in the country,” Mohammed said.

At the children play ground in Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Maitama; Malam Yahaya Iliya said he came there to play with his children. According to him, there is suffering in the land and thus, most people cannot buy ram, thereby resulting to buying beef to eat with their families.

“We should not allow the hardship in the country to take away our willingness to sacrifice for one another and to live in peace with one another. “The current economic situation is unfortunate, but we should be optimistic that it shall be well, and the country will be great again,” Iliya said.

At River Plate Garden in Wuse II, few fun seekers were seen sitting on mats and playing Ludo and Whot games. One of the fun seekers, John Oche, a trader at Wuse Market, corroborated Ibrahim and Mohammed’s position; that the celebration was low-key.

“I can count the people in this park; no money, dollar is out of reach and the market is a ‘no go area’ because of daily increase in the price of goods. “Everything is upside down; I don’t know where this country is going to; how can people celebrate when there is no means to celebrate,” Oche said.

The low-key situation was not different at Magic Land Amusement Park located near the City Gate. Mr. Peter Okoh, the Manager of the park, said that turnout of fun seekers to the park was low. “Last year, a lot of people came here to have fun; but this year, especially this Eid-El-Kabir celebration, the turnout is low. “Though I am not surprised because the economic situation is biting hard on the people. Nevertheless, we thank God for everything; we only pray that things get better for all Nigerians,” Okah said.

– New Telegraph