Traders under the aegis of Agbajowo Dealers and Artisans Market Association of Owode Onirin of Lagos State, have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to save them from land grabbers, threatening to chase them away and take over the entire location they were currently situated, doing their legal and legitimate business and allocated to them by the state government.
The association equally urged the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Meranda, and those in positions of authority in the state for intervention to ensure that the site at Owode Onirin, where they were doing their trading was not taken over from them.
Chairman of the association, Engnr. Thaddeus Idaewor, made this call at the weekend at a press conference which took place inside the market, saying that the over 5,000-member body had to voice out its concern because of information at its disposal that the land grabbers plan to demolish the market, chase the traders away, and take possession of the land, illegally.
He said the association led by him had thereafter took a protest to the Governor’s Office and the State House of Assembly, noting that notwithstanding the assurances given to the body by the parliament for intervention, nothing had been heard from the lawmakers.
He said: “Now we want the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to come to our aid, we are also calling on the State House of Assembly to come to our aid, as well as the government officials in the state. They should all come to our aid and intervene in this matter.
“Look at the pains that we would all suffer if over 5,000 market men and women are chased out of this market.
“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu also to intervene in our case. He knows this market. We voted for them. Look at where we are sourcing our income from, they should not allow some people to come and put fire in our market.”
Also speaking, a member of the Elder’s Council, Moshood Tijani, explained that the documents for the market were legally and legitimately possessed by the market association.
Titanic said: “We are still hearing the rumour that they (land grabbers) are coming after last September plan, that’s why we are holding this press conference to call for government’s intervention.”
Also speaking, President, Owode Onirin Market, Abiodun Hamed, urged the group to pursue its objective and vision in a peaceful and orderly manner, saying that the body should shun violent protests.
