Eid al-Adha Description
Known as the Greater Sallah (Babban Sallah in Hausa), this is Nigeria's most important Islamic festival commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son. Morning prayers at mosques and prayer grounds are followed by the ritual slaughter of rams, cows, or camels. The Emir's durbar in Kano, Katsida, and other northern emirates features regiments of horsemen in chain mail and colorful turbans charging toward the Emir's palace in a tradition spanning centuries. The meat from sacrifices is divided into three portions: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor. Government offices, banks, and most businesses close for the two-day holiday. From Lagos to Maiduguri, the aroma of grilled meat (suya) fills neighborhoods as communities celebrate together in a vivid display of Nigerian Muslim culture and charity.
