Behind a restaurant in Lagos, a scene is unfolding: a lamb is being prepared for iftar, the meal that breaks the Muslim fast during Ramadan, just before sunrise. Yet, as the holy month approaches, Lagos’s economic struggles mean many are unable to afford even the simplest iftar. Enter Naheemah Ishola, a restaurant owner known for feeding the hungry during Ramadan, a task that feels ever more critical this year with rising food prices. In Lagos, a 50-kilogram bag of rice cost an astonishing 75,000 naira ($48.50) by the end of 2024, and the situation is even more dire in Abuja, where it reached 99,000 naira ($58.20). This inflation is leaving many on the brink of hunger.
Ishola, driven by her faith and a desire to give back, has been providing meals to those in need since 2017. Supported by her friends and family, she allocates a portion of her earnings each year to this endeavor, seeing her efforts as a part of her religious duty. “The motivation for me is I know that most people cannot afford a decent meal on a normal day,” Ishola explains, emphasizing the joy she sees in the faces of those she feeds as the motivating factor behind her actions, despite the rising cost of living that unsettles her. She adds, “Every time I hand over the meal packs to the vulnerable people on the street there’s this form of fulfilment I feel inside me. And at the same time, in recent times, I feel like I might not be able to do as much with the rising cost of living but if this rising cost of living is normalized, then I’ll be able to do more.”
The impact of Ishola’s efforts is profound. For people like Muhammed Baba, a father of three struggling with leprosy and poverty, Ishola’s initiative is more than just a meal. It’s a sense of dignity and a reminder that there are kind souls willing to help. As Baba notes, “This month is the month of Ramadan, and everybody want to come and share food to those who need it and we are very, very happy for that and you know we don’t want to go out to, to beg up and down.” This spirit of giving during Ramadan not only nourishes the bodies of the hungry but also fills a void of hopelessness incited by hard economic times, fostering a community where everyone can enjoy iftar, the sacred break of the Ramadan fast.
Source: http://www.africanews.com/2025/03/16/lagos-restaurant-feeds-the-needy-during-ramadan-amid-rising-costs/
