By Monsur Olowoopejo

Lagos—Traders from the demolished Owonifari electronic Market, Oshodi yesterday rejected the Lagos State Government’s plans to relocate them to Oshodi Resettlement Market (former Isopakodowo market), citing structural instability and several spiritual activities associated with the structure as their reason for the rejection.

Oshodi22
Oshodi Resettlement Market

They added that the available space in the market cannot accommodate them.

Meantime, a fire outbreak occurred at the site of the demolition earlier in the day, stopping the traders from further salvaging any valuable left in the rubble. However, scavengers had a field day.

The refurbished Isopakowodowo Market, where the affected traders were asked to move to was commissioned by the former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, now Minister for Works, Power and Housing. It was commissioned two years ago on January 7, 2014.

When Vanguard visited the market yesterday, none of the market stalls had been opened for business since it was commissioned.

Inside the market, officials of the Lagos State Public Works Commissio, LSPWC were sighted rehabilitating the floor.

In an interview with Vanguard, a resident, Mr. Mustapha Adekunle said that the market had never been opened to commercial activities since the former governor commissioned it, saying; “You can see that the entire market is dusty. The government had abandoned the market to rodents.”

A security official, who chose to speak under condition of anonymity, in an interview, confirmed that the market had been under lock since it was commissioned.

His words “I cannot give you my name but all I can tell you is that the state government commenced the renovation works on the market on Wednesday morning after the demolition of Owonifari market. And as you can see, the officials of public works department are rehabilitating the floor.”

Meanwhile, a notice was pasted at the security post for displaced traders of Owonifari and other traders, on the procedures to apply for market stalls.

Relocation notice

The procedure reads: “This is to inform the general public/Owonifari electronic traders that all applicants of shops and Klee-Klamps at Isopakodowo electronic market (Oshodi Resettlement Market) should submit their registration forms with allocation letters, Lagos State Resident Registration Agency, LASRRA registration slip and two passport photographs.”

On the features of Isopakodowo, Vanguard gathered that there are 571 shops in the market; established by the previous administration and originally built to accommodate trader traders dislodged from the rail lines.

Sources said that the market has 64 Closed Circuit Television Camera, CCTV and 22 toilets. And it was expected to serve saw millers and electronic dealers in the state.

It was further gathered that the essence is to attract business to the area and change the face of Oshodi to the mega city standard. He emphasized that the modern market was fully funded by the state government and will be managed and maintained by a facility manager.



Why we shun relocation plans — traders

Mr. Rasaq Adeyemi, one of the affected traders, said the government did not allocate Isopakodowo market to anyone.

His words “No one is interested in the market because of the incident that happened two years ago when a part of the market sunk.

‘’Up till now, we have not heard anything from the state government. Do they want displaced traders of Owonifari to also suffer what happened two years ago. I doubt if the foundation is strong because if it is, that incident shouldn’t have occurred.”

Another trader, Mrs. Halimah Dosu, who had been trading in the demolished market for over 20 years, said she was not ready to go to the new market.

She stated that since it was commissioned, no trader had used it adding that she is scared to move there because of the incident that happened two years ago.

According to her, “People lost their lives. They had families just like we do. If such thing occurs when we move in, what will be the fate of our families? Can the place accommodate us? This week has been bad for every one of us. Most of the traders here are landlords, few are tenants. Everyone is at a loss. We want another place not that market.”

Another trader, Micheal Uzor, said “I am not going to that market. Rather, I will be going to Arena Mall. I believe it can contain all the displaced traders. Also, the it is structurally sound.”



Relocating to Arena shopping mall

A trader, Mukhtar Atoyibi, said; ‘’As at yesterday people paid N180,000 per annum for a shop but this morning, it has increased to N300,000 and light is not stable there.

‘’May be we will have to speak with authorities at the market because we don’t have that kind of money to rent a shop. Government did not think well about this before they did it.

‘’They don’t have mercy on the masses. At least if you want to displace people, you have to provide another place. Is this democracy?”

A trader, Uche Chukwuemeka, said; ‘’Desmond, my co-trader who deals in Video Games, rented a store in the Arena Mall for N1.2 million last week but last Saturday, they refused the N3 million offer.’’



We’ve not accepted govt offer—traders executive

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, Obinna Nwosu, said that the executives of the market were yet to meet on the State government relocation plans, saying “It is after our meeting that we can decide if we will accept it or not.”

He however lamented that there was no notice, no official letter except oral messages that they were coming.

According to him, “There is a court injunction that the government shouldn’t disturb traders in our market because since its renovation in 1999 where the market got burnt, traders voluntarily re-built the market with N750 million and every shop was decked. Does a seal order look like a quit notice. They assured us everything was going to be settled that was the reason most of us returned our goods.“



Fire engulfs demolished market

When Vanguard visited the market at about 9pm, Wednesday night, scores of scavengers were sighted carting away property of the displaced traders.

Sources said that they sold the undemolished property at give-away prices.

Few hours later, an eyewitness alleged that some policemen who arrived the scene, set fire to the property at the scene.

Another account said that the officials of the Lagos State Government set the property on fire earlier in the day.

A victim, Justus Eze, lamented “I woke with the hope of salvaging my property but when I got here, I discovered that the market was on fire. And even with the fire, I saw scavengers everywhere. I couldn’t believe I was late at 5am. I am hopeless.”



Fire official confirms inferno

An official of the Lagos State Fire Service, said that the fire was ignited by government officials at the scene to reduce the number of scavengers trooping to the scene to source for goods.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/oshodi-market-demolition-affected-traders-reject-alternative/

Please, God bless Ambode & Lagosians exceedingly..



As my papa use to say, "A Tenant Doesn't Plant A Flower In Another Man's House.. They ought to have seen the handwriting on the wall


Mind u that I'm a full blooded igbo, "Abu m ezigbo onye igbo. Ndi igbo banyi amaghi ihe chaa-chaa, kedu ka mmadu ga-esi hapu obodo ya ga obodo onye ozo na-edozi ya. O na obughi nzuzu ka obu??

why do igbos sound like they were the only ones affected by this??

marginalizing yourselves when no-one is marginalizing you.

How much longer can the Zoo last with all this very upset, heart broken and angry people left, right and center?


Talk about contempt.


u collect excessive tax from them to fund your State.


you send Babaloja and mamaloja to extort money from them.


You start building extravagant markets that nobody send you to further extort money from them.


U demolish their 40 years business without notice and order them to pay millions for your shops.


Let us talk about contempt. Are they slaves? Even so have slavery not been abolished?





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbtKvPhzTOs

No comment

Before the tribal warriors destroy here

talktimi:
By Monsur Olowoopejo





Why we shun relocation plans — traders[/color]

Mr. Rasaq Adeyemi, one of the affected traders, said the government did not allocate Isopakodowo market to anyone.

His words “No one is interested in the market because of the incident that happened two years ago when a part of the market sunk.

‘’Up till now, we have not heard anything from the state government. Do they want displaced traders of Owonifari to also suffer what happened two years ago. I doubt if the foundation is strong because if it is, that incident shouldn’t have occurred.”

Another trader, Mrs. Halimah Dosu, who had been trading in the demolished market for over 20 years, said she was not ready to go to the new market.

She stated that since it was commissioned, no trader had used it adding that she is scared to move there because of the incident that happened two years ago.

According to her, “People lost their lives. They had families just like we do. If such thing occurs when we move in, what will be the fate of our families? Can the place accommodate us? This week has been bad for every one of us. Most of the traders here are landlords, few are tenants. Everyone is at a loss. We want another place not that market.”

Another trader, Micheal Uzor, said “I am not going to that market. Rather, I will be going to Arena Mall. I believe it can contain all the displaced traders. Also, the it is structurally sound.”




Relocating to Arena shopping mall

A trader, Mukhtar Atoyibi, said; ‘’As at yesterday people paid N180,000 per annum for a shop but this morning, it has increased to N300,000 and light is not stable there.


Fire official confirms inferno

An official of the Lagos State Fire Service, said that the fire was ignited by government officials at the scene to reduce the number of scavengers trooping to the scene to source for goods.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/oshodi-market-demolition-affected-traders-reject-alternative/

I Laugh YORUBAS when they are mocking IGBOS saying they have destroyed their business, we can now see that Yorubas are the most affected and they cannot even afford the new market while Igbos are already moving to the new shops.

There is adage thats says if lizard and Rat are beaten by rain when Lizards body will dry up, Rat's body will still be wet. I laff SWners

kaycid77:


I Laugh YORUBAS when they are mocking IGBOS saying they have destroyed their business, we can now see that Yorubas are the most affected and they cannot even afford the new market while Igbos are already moving to the new shops.

There is adage thats says if lizard and Rat are beaten by rain when Lizards body will dry up, Rat's body will still be wet. I laff SWners

Hmmm... I didn't even know there were other tribes affected by this issue, so why has there been a tribal uproar making it look like the whole idea of demolishing the market was just to punish Igbos?

kaycid77:


I Laugh YORUBAS when they are mocking IGBOS saying they have destroyed their business, we can now see that Yorubas are the most affected and they cannot even afford the new market while Igbos are already moving to the new shops.

There is adage thats says if lizard and Rat are beaten by rain when Lizards body will dry up, Rat's body will still be wet. I laff SWners

If as you observed Yorubas are also affected, and "Igbos are already moving to the new shops", why then are you all crying more than the bereaved? Must you whine and play the victim about everything? ?

YoruBanger:


If as you observed Yorubas are also affected, and "Igbos are already moving to the new shops", why then are you all crying more than the bereaved? Must you whine and play the victim about everything? ?

No, while we Igbos sympathized with every one who have lost their livelihood sources, your Yoruba brothers in NL think that Ambode is dealing with the Igbos not knowing their ppl is that worst hit, your ppl cant even afford the new market while Igbos have moved on, I said it before, you cant hold an Igbo man down from doing business he will rather do his business on the high sea and still make his money, Now Yoruba traders are crying probably because they have used most of their savings for Owambe while the Igbo traders have moved on as they have saved for the rainy day.

TonyeBarcanista:

Tonye bacarnista is booking space, menh na so your level don diminished

lalasticlala pls take this to FP

Cc lalasticlala

kaycid77:


No, while we Igbos sympathized with every one who have lost their livelihood sources, your Yoruba brothers in NL think that Ambode is dealing with the Igbos not knowing their ppl is that worst hit, your ppl cant even afford the new market while Igbos have moved on, I said it before, you cant hold an Igbo man down from doing business he will rather do his business on the high sea and still make his money, Now Yoruba traders are crying probably because they have used most of their savings for Owambe while the Igbo traders have moved on as they have saved for the rainy day.

Let's tell ourselves the truth, the moment this story first broke, what we all first heard was that Ambode is doing this to punish Igbos. And this is not the first time we've heard such accusations. The last time it was about Fashola deporting Igbos, meanwhile at that same time, Fashola also deported Yorubas to places like Ibadan but up till date, we still sing it to the world that Fashola hates and deports igbos. Let's stop this unnecessary paranoia and tribal division before it completely eats us up.

kaycid77:


No, while we Igbos sympathized with every one who have lost their livelihood sources, your Yoruba brothers in NL think that Ambode is dealing with the Igbos not knowing their ppl is that worst hit, your ppl cant even afford the new market while Igbos have moved on, I said it before, you cant hold an Igbo man down from doing business he will rather do his business on the high sea and still make his money, Now Yoruba traders are crying probably because they have used most of their savings for Owambe while the Igbo traders have moved on as they have saved for the rainy day.

Yinmu. You Nairaland Igbos didn't sympathize with anyone but rather seized the incident as another opportunity to play the victim card and even MOCK the affected Igbo traders for refusing to relocate to the SE. One of you even went as far as accusing your fellows of being cursed if they relocate to any alternative shop:

https://www.nairaland.com/2847606/igbo-moves-oshodi-buy-shop

You said your traders have moved on yet they are still crying and even demanding for compensation?

https://www.today.ng/news/national/63090/oshodi-demolition-igbo-traders-demand-n20bn-compensation

It's obvious you people have serious mental and psychological issues. I'm glad that you at least acknowledged that trading is not the exclusive preserve of Igbos in Lagos , and that Yoruba traders are equally making their money , just that you feel in your warped thinking that your folks 'save' more of theirs. Smh. With the way you all were going about it, one would've been forgiven for thinking that Igbos are the only traders at the demolished Oshodi market. And by the way, how Yoruba traders choose to spend their money is none of your business. You are better off championing the relocation of your brothers to the SE and their demand for compensation than taking Panadol for Yoruba traders headache.

LMAO @ sympathized. The first line of action was to act like the sole victims. An outsider that doesn't know that place at all would have thought it was only Igbo traders there. Those traders better relocate sharply, crying and moaning won't help. Lagosians as a whole are tired or being held to ransome because of a few people. We yearn for a modern city, for a clean city, for an organized city, a low crime city. All the major cities in the world had to go through these mass demolitions to achieve their dreams and today they're enjoying the benefits. I watched a documentary on rebuilding Paris and moving it from old Paris to the new Paris, this we're experiencing in Lagos is nothing. This was large scale almost indiscriminate demolitions. I hope the government doesn't relent on their effort. People keep building houses and shops where they're not supposed to do so, later a serious government chases you then you start playing victim. A saw a shop in a part of Lagos that the owner basically extended his shop to the drainage, the shop had an X on it but construction is still going on. That kind of guy would bribe someone, he'll finish it, another government will come destroy it, owner of shop will start complaining that he has lost his livelihood.

Amberon:
why do igbos sound like they were the only ones affected by this??

marginalizing yourselves when no-one is marginalizing you.

what brought Igbo to this topic? Do you get an erection when you call out igbos

The best place to start another shop is at The Arena because of the security it offers and the orderliness inherent there

After the demolition of Maroko in 1990 which rendered almost 300,000 people homeless, making some neighbourhoods look like refugee camps, did l know that the government demolishing any other thing it didn't want to exist will be a mere cup of tea!

Their loss

they better take it

No insult intended but a pig will never accept to stay in a palace.

You see, this is the problem with Nigeria. We all indulge the Government. Who says the government has to provide business premises for everyone?
I pay my tax, I am law abiding, did the government provide my office space for me?
Yes government provide market place, and they have, must they provide for everybody to sell?

If we keep indulging the government to provide for all our needs, we will never move forward.

months:
How much longer can the Zoo last with all this very upset, heart broken and angry people left, right and center?
Talk about contempt.
u collect excessive tax from them to fund your State.
you send Babaloja and mamaloja to extort money from them.
You start building extravagant markets that nobody send you to further extort money from them.
U demolish their 40 years business without notice and order them to pay millions for your shops.
Let us talk about contempt. Are they slaves? Even so have slavery not been abolished?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbtKvPhzTOs

Yes Nigeria is a Zoo. Which means you, your papa and your mama and all your family members living in Nigeria are all animals,goats to be precise.

You will cry for the rest of your short and miserable life but Nigeria will always be one. There will never be a briafra.

kaycid77:


No, while we Igbos sympathized with every one who have lost their livelihood sources, your Yoruba brothers in NL think that Ambode is dealing with the Igbos not knowing their ppl is that worst hit, your ppl cant even afford the new market while Igbos have moved on, I said it before, you cant hold an Igbo man down from doing business he will rather do his business on the high sea and still make his money, Now Yoruba traders are crying probably because they have used most of their savings for Owambe while the Igbo traders have moved on as they have saved for the rainy day.

they were praising Ambode for dealing with Igbos. Clearly from the article we can see dat yoruba traders are basically small-timers....complaining of rent going from 180k to 300k while Igbos pay 1.2 million for a new store space. When they try to hurt Igbos, they hurt themselves more.

BeeBeeOoh:
Please, God bless Ambode & Lagosians exceedingly..



As my papa use to say, "A Tenant Doesn't Plant A Flower In Another Man's House.. They ought to have seen the handwriting on the wall


Mind u that I'm a full blooded igbo, "Abu m ezigbo onye igbo. Ndi igbo banyi amaghi ihe chaa-chaa, kedu ka mmadu ga-esi hapu obodo ya ga obodo onye ozo na-edozi ya. O na obughi nzuzu ka obu??

so citizens are now strangers in their own country, cut me that crap. Every Nigerian has a right to own both moveable and non moveable properties anywhere in Nigeria. Govt in Nigeria is nothing but a travesty!

franciskaine:
so citizens are now strangers in their own country, cut me that crap. Every Nigerian has a right to own both moveable and non moveable properties anywhere in Nigeria. Govt in Nigeria is nothing but a travesty!

Nigeria has never been a country from d days of Metusella. I still maintain my status quo, "It Serves Them Right, God Bless Ambode..

SMH


This wannabe governor is ruining Lagos state

obailala:
Hmmm... I didn't even know there were other tribes affected by this issue, so why has there been a tribal uproar making it look like the whole idea of demolishing the market was just to punish Igbos?

Igbos make up 70 to 80 percent of traders in dat market. Same Igbos who allegedly didnt vote for him.

- they were not given time to relocated. Some had even travelled for d hols when demolition warning came

- no suitable alternative

- those who lost items due to demolition werent compensated.

Lets say d truth for once.

ElekeNtioba:


they were praising Ambode for dealing with Igbos. Clearly from the article we can see dat yoruba traders are basially small-timers....complaining of rent going from 180k to 300k while Igbos pay 1.2 million for a new store space. When they try to hurt Igbos, they hurt themselves more.

Ok, ok, ok. If it will make you people let us hear word for once, Igbo traders in Lagos are richer than their Yoruba traders. Sotay dem don begin carry drugs join trading. There you have it. I hope you are happy now that I said you all are the richer traders? So when will una commence the move to Onitsha, abi na Aba? Coz this perpetual whining is getting tired.

Igbo people always playing the victims.


















I bet Jose Mourinho is an Igbo man.