Before the crisis Shasha market had in the past, experienced ethnic-related feuds, often between Hausa and Yoruba communities, but none was as devastating as last one, says Rasheed Popoola, the Babaloja of Shasha (the market leader).

“Whenever there is a clash, we always try to ensure that it doesn’t escalate but sadly, no one could control it this time.”

According to him, the February 11 clash between the hitherto friendly Hausa and Yoruba communities was sparked by an altercation between a pregnant Yoruba woman and a Hausa cart pusher in the market. The disagreement led to the death of one Sakirudeen Adeola, a cobbler, popularly known as Korex, said to have been hit by the cart pusher.

“Following his death, myself, some friends and the police went to the Hausas to appeal to them. The conversation was ongoing when we noticed a group of angry men approaching us with stones,” Popoola narrates the incident leading to the crisis.

Sighting the angry mob, ‘Babaloja’ and the police fled. “The market place became violent almost immediately,” he adds.

Korex’s untimely death was a trigger for the long-held hostility between the two communities, said Akinade Ajani, the Yoruba traditional head (Ba’ale) of Shasha.

The ICIR gathered that the tension is connected to the leadership tussle between the people of the two tribes.

“It started a long time ago, shortly after the Hausas settled in the area in 1979. This violent outburst is the result of a pending conflict,” says the traditional ruler.

“Though all we cared about was to peacefully coexist and enjoy the proceeds from the market together, but the Hausas have been persistent about their ownership of the major goods sold in the market and thereby want to be the one taking the position of the chairman of Shasha Market Traders Association.”

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/how-shasha-market-traders-lost-millions-in-oyo-ethnic-clash/

Is not easy to be a Nigerian

So OP, what's untold about this story?

Gandollaar:
So OP, what's untold about this story?

Answer; who will be market "Shairman", not that the person is coming with ideas to move the market forward, but just to be the chairman, collect all the levies and feed fat on it.

The story of Nigeria.