Traders at Oyingbo market, downtown Lagos, have decried the unending shutdown of the market by the leader of markets association in Lagos, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.
Folashade, who is the daughter of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, reportedly locked the gate to the plaza over complaints of trading in an untidy environment.
However, the marketers claimed that the lockdown of the market which has gone on for 13 days is as a result of their inability to pay a N5 million fine request by Tinubu-Ojo.
Traders, in their numbers staged a protest, displaying placards with inscriptions such as: “Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, Ahmed Tinubu’s daughter leave Oyingbo Market alone. Mainland Local Government, hear our cry.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, the traders had forcefully made their way into the market premises and found their goods perishing after days of shutout without access.
The angry traders displayed the decayed goods on the floor while they expressed their displeasure over the loss of their goods to decay.
A member of the market committee known as Baba Sikiru said Tinubu-Ojo had come to inspect the market months back and complained about poor sanitation. He said they then agreed with her to temporarily close the market to carry out required sanitation.
He however said that after the market committee had finished cleaning the premises, Tinubu-Ojo asked that the marketers must remit a fine of N5 million before the market will be reopened.
Baba Sikiru explained that the traders pleaded with her to collect N4 million so they can continue trading but she insisted on collecting N5 million.
He said, “Truly some months back when she visited Oyingbo market, she complained about the dirty environment and the committee members agreed to clean the market. We all cleaned the market with our hands. After that she came for inspection and said the market was clean.
“Then she demanded for N5 million bribe before she can open the market and we all begged her to collect N4 million but she refused.
“She came to lock the market without the authorisation of the local government even the local government never demanded for such amount but it is Iyaloja that want us to pay her N5 million fine….Haba it is a taboo!”.
Another trader in the market, Toyin Berkley, said they were asked to pay a N5 million fine without any prior notice.
She complained that the traders could not raise such an amount within that short period time and when they visited Tinubu-Ojo, she agreed that the market will be opened on Sunday but she refused to visit.
Berkley said, “Last week, we went to Alausa and pleaded with her to open the market. She promised that she will come here to open the market on Sunday but we did not see her,” she said.
Corroborating Baba Sikiru’s claims, Berkley said “Truly, when we went to Alausa we begged her to collect N4 million but she refused.”
“Where are we going to get N5 million when the market is locked?” She asked.
“We get our daily income at Oyingbo market, some members are widows. We pay taxes to the government but you are requesting N5 million from traders when the market is locked.”
Another trader at Oyingbo market, Musa Okunlaja said “She complained about the dirty market. Oyingbo is a food market we clean the market after the close of the day, but you don’t expect a food market where people sell vegetables to be clean.
“We got tired of being idle at home without any money to feed our family. She locked the market for two weeks without any reason. We want the government to come and open the market for us.”
Abimbola who also sells tomatoes at Oyingbo market said she flung her wares away because she couldn’t sell rotten tomatoes to her customers.
“We sell perishable goods in this market. All the tomatoes I have to sell rotted in the basket because there was nobody to buy from me. We are all hungry for two week. I have been idle at home without making sales while the goods I have to sell for money remained in the basket,” she lamented.
Tinubu-Ojo did not respond when reached, She claimed to be in transit but failed to get back as promised, hours after.