Computer village crisis: CDA members, residents and shop owners call for help

Members of Ogunbiyi Community Development Association (CDA), residents of Idowu lane and shop owners in Computer Village, Ikeja Lagos have sent a “Save Our Souls” message to the Lagos State government over what they described as a looming crisis in the community.

The people who yesterday shut down the biggest ICT market in Nigeria paralysing business activities to protest the constant harassment and assault on the people by men sent by Iyaloja and Babaloja.

Tribune Online gathered that the crisis started at the popular Computer Village when the Iyaloja General, Mrs Folashade Tinubu -Ojo installed one Mrs Abimbola Azeez-Isokpehi as the Iyaloja and Mr Niyi Olasoji who was the former Ogunbiyi CDA chairman as the Babaloja of respectively.

It became protracted on Saturday when CDA erected a gate at Idowu lane of the market which was allegedly removed and carried away on the order of the Iyaloja who also ordered the arrest of the CDA chairman, Idowu lane chairman and one other man.

Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, the Vice Chairman of Ogunbiyi Community, who also doubled as the chairman of coalition of associations in Computer Village, Mr Timi Davis explained that the people are tired of constant harassment of residents and innocent customers by Iyaloja’s thugs

He, therefore, called on the Lagos State government to come to their aid and intervene before the matter degenerates into major crisis.

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“This is an ICT business hub, this is not a market where they sell pepper and tomatoes, therefore, installing Babaloja and Iyaloja here is a misnomer. Computer Village does not belong to the market women association for Christ’s sake.

“We have made our position clear that we don’t want these people, they don’t represent us because we have our own different associations to which we belong, moreover, they have continued to harass and assault people here to the extent that customers are already running away from the business environment for fear of being harassed,” He said.

Narrating the event that happened on Saturday, he said that the CDA on Saturday erected a gate at Idowu lane to protect the market from burglars which was witnessed during the lockdown.

“We approached the local government being our supervising body and we were given go ahead but in the evening, Iyaloja sent her thugs to come and remove the gate while she also ordered the arrest of the CDA chairman and others.

“Their offence for being arrested was that they didn’t take permission from Iyaloja and Babaloja before erecting gate to protect their goods from being stolen.

“We know the government doesn’t create what it cannot control. Somebody got a traditional title of Iyaloja or Babaloja does not mean they have the permission to govern Ogunbiyi Community which is under the CDA created by law of the state under the supervision of the Local Government.

“These people are using their thugs to harass everyone, if this continues we are afraid this place may go up in flame soon , that is why we are calling on the Lagos State government to intervene”, Mr Timi explained.

Speaking also, Public Relation Officer of the Coalition Associations in Computer Village, Mr Ademola Olaifa said that there have been an existing issue since the installation of Iyaloja.

He noted that they took the matter to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs and Lagos State House of Assembly but they said the statu quo should remain.

“Since the Installation of Iyaloja and Babaloja here it has been various degree of victimisation, extortion and bullying.

“They send their boys to beat up people almost every day, we are tired”, he lamented.

When contacted for her reaction, Mrs Abimbola Azeez-Isokpehi said,” Idowu lane where the gate was erected has always been part of Computer Village, if you get to the entrance we have an arch which TECHNO made an advert with our sign board as Iyaloja, which we erected throughout all the entrance of Computer Village.

“Suddenly, some people just thought they can cordon off Idowu lane, claiming it is not part of Computer Village and they want to be alone.

“These unscrupulous elements wanted to try my authority by removing Idowu lane as part of Computer Village, that was why they went to erect the gate there without my knowledge and I cannot be looking for people who hold the keys to the market when I am in charge”, Abimbola claimed.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE