BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The leadership crisis rocking traders body in Oyo State took a new twist on Thursday, as over 500 traders from across Oyo State protested to the state government secretariat in Ibadan.
During the protest, the traders mostly women, frowned at the alleged conspiracy by the state government’s Traders Advisory Council to install Alhaji Yekini Abass as Babaloja-General of the state.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the protesting traders, the President, Coalition of Oyo State Market Youth Forum, Comrade Sikiru Adetunji popularly known as Sikol asked Governor Seyi Makinde to immediately dissolve the Oyo state Traders Advisory Council to prevent looming crisis among traders in the state
Comrade Adetunji accused the traders advisory council of allegedly being behind the plan to install Alhaji Yekini Abass, as enemies of the state and traders in Oyo State hell bent at causing crisis among traders in the state
Emphasizing that traders in Oyo state are ready to resist the alleged conspiracy by the advisory council to impose any leader on them for whatever reason, saying, ” the
traders advisory council is a fraud and we would not allow it to stay.”
” We are traders, it is unacceptable to lump bricklayers association, musical instruments hiring association, canteen operators association and Furniture association with our associations for political reasons,” he said
Comrade Adetunji added, ” we know those who belong to traders associations, we know our leaders and we know those who have shops in our various market. It’s impossible to allow intruders to hijack our business, more so, all they wanted is to use our associations to defraud politicians who are desperately looking for votes to buy, likewise tricking the unsuspected traders into applying for illusionary loans after paying nonrefundable fees”.
The President, Coalition of Oyo State Market Youth Forum, stated,
” we have said this before and we are repeating it today that we challenge those in the market advisory council to lead a team comprising of state Commissioner for trade and industry, the chairman house committee on trade, commissioner for justice and security agencies to their shops, where they have their investments, show them the businesses they are into and why they want to remain with traders in the state.
” After investigation into the activities of each members of the advisory council, both government and members of the public will know why Oyo State Market Advisory Council should be dissolved, of course this will put end to the crisis rocking traders associations in Oyo State. We have elected, ratified and sworn-in Alhaji Sunmaila Aderemi Jimoh as the Babaloja-General of Oyo State before Y. K. Abass fraudulently lobbied late Olubadan of Ibadanland into making him Babaloja-General, which a state high court in Ibadan had recently nullified and warned Y.K Abass not to parade himself again as Babaloja-General Of Oyo State.”
He declared further ” we have likewise elected and inaugurated Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje as Iyaloja-General of Oyo State before the rebellions and saboteurs collaborated with enemies from outside to disstabilize the state with their illegal campaigning for unknown candidate, Princess Azeezat Folasade Nurudeen who never had any shop in the state nor engage in any business activity in the state.
“What happened here today is purely illegal and unconstitutional and must not be allowed to stand.we shall protect the decision of our leaders who elected leaders for us and no stranger will be allowed to hijack our associations and businesses in the state.”
