The Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakunlehin, Ige Olakunlehin 1, has appealed to the market traders in Bola Ige International market, Gbagi, Ibadan, Oyo State, to be patient and law abiding in the discharge of their marketing activities, irrespective of any provocation.
Oba Olakunlehin made the appeal while receiving the traders in the new Oke Aremo Palace, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Solomon Olugbemiga Ayoade.
The chairman of the traders (egbe oniganta) Wema, Ita wewe, Engineer Kolawole Oyewole, who came to the palace with some other traders to lodge a complaint, alleged the general market traders’ executives, Oyo State Government officials and other stakeholders of threats to demolish their counters/containers despite the regular payment of their monthly levies.
According to Engineer Oyewole, several save-our-soul letters had been written to the state governor, Oyo State Commissioner for Commerce and Industries and Commissioner of Police, calling for their timely intervention, but were not responded to.
He said despite the appeal letters written by their lawyer, human rights activist, tractors had been deployed to demolish their counters/containers, and that the demolition activities started last week.
He thereby solicited the intervention of the Olubadan to ensure that their means of livelihood are not taking away from them at this period of economic hardship.
In his response, the Olubadan said: “Ibadan city is known for being peaceful and accommodating for both the indigenes and residents. Consequently, no one, no matter how highly placed, will be allowed to tamper with the peaceful co-existence prevailing presently in Ibadanland.”
Speaking through Senior Chief Raifu Amusa Eleruwere, the monarch enjoined the traders, market executives, Oyo State Government officials and other relevant stakeholders to give peace a chance and allow the crisis to be amicably resolved soon.
He appreciated the traders for embarking on peaceful protest and not taking laws into their hands.
Moving the votes of thanks, Aremo Olubadan, Barrister Sunmbo Owolabi called the stakeholders in the crisis to remain peaceful, assuring them that with the intervention of Olubadan of Ibadanland, the misunderstanding would be resolved as soon as possible.
