The Research Centre for Integrity Assessment and Evaluation (RCIAE) has cautioned the leadership of the various factions of the Oyo traders union against dragging Governor Seyi Makinde into their murky politics.
The Secretary of the RCIAE, Omobolaji Aremu was quoted in a statement made available to the newsmen in Ibadan as describing the plot to drag Makinde into the crisis rocking the traders”union in the state as a misplacement of priority and unnecessary distraction.
The leadership tussle among the various traders union in the state, according to the statement has been on for some years now and it’s of no consequence to the economic development of the state.
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The statement read, “We think it’s right time to call leaders and elders in Ibadan to get right what their priority should be and stop causing detraction and downgrading Ibadan cultural, traditional and historical heritage. Rather they should channel energy towards gathering support for the governor to fight food insecurity to force down escalating prices of foodstuffs and boost agricultural development in the state.
“Trade associations are entities registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), therefore traditional institutions, government, religious groups and social clubs do not have any right to interfere with their activities. If they are causing problems within the state, the government will use security agents to curb their excesses and prosecute them where necessary.
“If they have unresolvable issues among themselves, the only institution allowed by the Nigerian constitution to decide on such a case without anyone or group acting contrary is the judiciary. They have the grace of seeking legal redress to resolve their differences.
“Meanwhile, the major causes of their problems are interference from politicians, covetousness of some politicians among them, who now engaged outsiders to carry out their evil plan and lastly, the composition of the agency that government instituted to serve as middlemen between traders and government, that is, market leaders advisory council.
“The market leaders advisory council was initiated by the past administration to help manipulate traders for the political benefits of the government in power. Hence they brought together traders, markets men and women, and those who do not have anything doing with buying and selling nor have shops in our marketplaces, like the canteen operators, Bricklayers, welders, painters, musical instruments renters and artisans generally, through marriage of inconvenience.
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“Of course, the governor who lumped together traders and artisans, others to serve his selfish interest got it all wronged, because he couldn’t get what he wanted through them. Even now, most of them do not have electoral value. Especially now that the people of Oyo State are voting for individuals, not political parties, not the person presented to them by their greedy leaders. We have seen that in the past and even in elections that returned Engr Seyi Makinde as the executive governor of Oyo State for the second term. Only ignoramuses still depend on leaders who cannot get 10% of the total votes in the ballot box placed in front of their family house.
“We would like to also advise the state governor to consider the individual’s personality when reconstituting the market leaders advisory council that will serve as the middleman between traders and his administration. To avoid problems, traders should be separated from artisans, canteen operators and others. Traders associations are about five altogether, the leader of each association who will serve on the advisory council must have a means of livelihood, and his or her shop must be fully stocked.
“The power to elect and install Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General belong to the Congress of Babalojas and Iyalojas from the 33 Local Government Councils and these are the heads and representatives of all markets in each of the 33 local government councils, all clusters of traders associations are well represented. It is after they have elected their leaders (Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General) that they will present them to the governor for recognition through a government agent, that is market leaders advisory council. This they have done since 2020 and equally forwarded it to the Chairman of, the House Committee on Trade.
“In addition, we want Ibadan elders and leaders to get this right, that election, selection and installation of Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General is beyond traders in Ibadan zone, but collective responsibilities of all the 5 zones in Oyo State, which includes Ibadan, Oyo, Oke Ogun, Ogbomoso and Ibarapa. If Ibadan zones is mounting unnecessary pressure on the governor while elders and leaders from the other 4 zones are watching, where then is maturity?
“Besides, remember I said all zones including Ibadan had gathered and elected their Babaloja-General of Oyo State in 2020, evidence is available for us to see. I think traders know their Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General in the state regardless of the noises and propaganda; nobody can dictate to or manipulate the brain of someone who laboured to raise capital for his/her business.
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