Covid-19: Celebrating Sallah With Ease And Safety

Opinion

By Adedoyin Giwa

Realities of COVID-19 pandemic necessitated low key Easter and Eid-al-fitr celebrations, this Sallah celebrations will be no different. Globally, authorities are stressing the need for caution and protective measures in every human activity. The holy city of Mecca won’t witness troops of pilgrims like previous years, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has limited this edition to only residents of the country amid fears of the virus.

In Lagos State which is the epicentre of the outbreak in Nigeria, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is also leaving nothing to chance. “Fellow Lagosians, we need to calm down as we enjoy the coming holiday and festivity. We need to be moderate in our celebration and observe prescribed protocols towards defeating the deadly coronavirus. The world needs the responsibility and commitment of its people to oust coronavirus, ” the governor said in his Eid kabir message to Lagosians.

Consequently, recreation centers: parks, bars, cinemas, clubs houses, are still under lock and key due to social distancing embargo. People are thereby limited as to where and how far the festivities can go. In this era, the most feasible option one would have thought of exploring to excite loved ones, especially the kids is visiting shopping malls and supermarkets. The option is however a tricky one, as malls and shops have been identified as one of the places the virus can easily be contracted. Likewise, fast food restaurants and eateries are also not available for the eat-in service for now.

More stinging is the dire economic situation the pandemic enforced on the globe. Everyone is becoming more frugal with what they dispense. But be that as it may, citizens of the world, especially Nigerians, will still do their best in the confines of their domain to have the best of the celebrations as possible. The lot who are imaginative can still thrill their loved ones by doing little things in a big way, and e-commerce offerings and cost effectiveness are suitable for this purpose.

Imagine initiating and completing a surprise package process for your wife and children while sitting next to them in the comfort of your home. All by visiting an online store like Jumia, to make orders and get them delivered at your doorstep. Many will agree that movement restrictions have denied them seeing or meeting with friends for months. Hence, this might also be a time to extend love from afar by surprising them with gifts via contactless delivery options of ecommerce platforms.

How about ordering that favourite food for your loved ones from the comfort of wherever you are. There are several online food outlets to choose from; oFood, Jumia food, and the likes are readily available and reliable options. If you happen to be a new customer, Jumia Food offers 20% off on your first order via their app. Many have missed the opportunity of making a great impression by thinking they might not appreciate the gesture for coming a bit late. Buying that ‘Ileya’ cloth for your friend is not too late, especially for a female friend. You can easily source and order them at online stores.

While conventional banks are prone to all sorts of transaction issues during festivities, fintech solutions come in handy as well. For. Instance apps like JumiaPay and KongaPay can be used for payment of utility bills and mobile top up. They can also serve as a convenient payment gateway for those who can’t afford to miss out on pay TV entertainment for timely subscription.

With ec-ommerce, an interesting celebration is still very much possible, especially for those who are ready to explore the emerging new normal of the global economy.