Residents of Kubwa, a bustling satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, have expressed mixed reactions to the increasing commercial activities taking place at the entrance of the community’s popular Muslim cemetery.
The burial ground, a solemn resting place for the dead is now a hub for petty traders, artisans, and vendors, transforming the cemetery into an unusual economic zone.
The graveyard, located along Lagos crescent, 2/1 Kubwa now hosts makeshift stalls selling items ranging from food and drinks to clothing and household goods.
Reactions among locals are split. For some, the development is seen as a practical solution to economic hardship, providing vendors with a cost-free location to ply their trade, while also availing residents within the community to get their essentials without having to travel all the way down to the market.
“Well in as much as it’s somehow bizzare to trade at the entrance of a cemetery, one can’t out-rule the fact that this small market is really helping us to cut our journey short in terms of going to the market because you can readily get your food stuff here,” said mrs. Clara who came down from her car to purchase some foodstuff.
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Others, however, view the situation as deeply disrespectful to the deceased, as according to them, a place for the dead should always be left in isolation.
Mr. Sam, a father of three, has disclosed that his wife strictly forbids him from buying edible or household items from the local mini-market, citing concerns of the market location. Despite the inconvenience, he stated he would rather endure the stress of heading to the main market to ensure he gets his goods.
A former buyer, who chose to remain anonymous, shared a chilling experience of stumbling upon a corpse being prepared for burial while visiting the market. She said the incident deeply unsettled her, leading her to stop patronizing the mallams trading in the area ever since.
She said: “I used to buy thing from here, especially when I’m coming back home from work. But one day, on arriving here, I saw a wrapped human being on the ground. I think they are trying to dig the grave inside the cemetery so they just dropped the corpse there. I was so frightened, I didn’t end up buying what I wanted so I just ran back home.
“Since then, I made up my mind never to buy anything from those mallams.”
Mallam Ibrahim Yusuf, a pepper and tomato seller, disclosed that his decision to trade at a cemetery site in Abuja was born out of necessity after fleeing bandit attacks in Zamfara.
“Since bandits drove me from Zamfara, I came to Abuja, and since I can’t be living idle, I just settled for this place,” he said.
Acknowledging the discomfort the location may cause some, he added, “Alhamdulillah, we are still selling.”
Credible News.ng
