A story of woes in five Lagos markets

If, as the 30th US president, John Calvin Coolidge told America’s Newspaper Editors in January 1925 that “the chief business of the American people is business”, nobody has said it yet, but it is safe to say that “the chief business of Lagosians is trading.” The scale or size, location, value may not matter, many Lagosians are involved in trading. Like Americans, the Lagosian is “profoundly concerned with buying, selling, and prospering in the world” literally clawing upwards to fend for himself or herself and family in the face of dwindling formal employment opportunities. That may explain why there are no fewer than 33 markets in Lagos State, unarguably the largest number among states of the federation, including those with large land mass. But with its limited land mass, one of the smallest in Nigeria, Lagos markets and traders face severe problems and at the same time constitute major challenges to safe traffic, the environment and law and order generally. GBENGA SALAU, GBENGA AKINFENWA, ISAAC TAIWO, GERALDINE AKUTU, PAUL ADUNWOKE AND VICTORIA OLISA REPORT.

Five markets may illustrate the problem, beginning with Mile 12 Marketmajorly known for retailing of fresh food items like pepper, tomato and onions and other edible goods. It is so popular far beyond the South West to the East and North Central states Undoubtedly, a blessing to the people of the state, as it helps them to get arrays of food items in small or large quantity, depending on their pockets; it also serves as a major source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for government.

But all that notwithstanding, the government seems to have got it all wrong years ago, exhibiting lack of foresight and planning which I the authorities, the traders and other Lagosians are paying dearly for , today in terms of degraded environment, overcrowding and traffic congestion.There is also the issue of safety of traders and their customers as they cross the six-lane expressway Several efforts were made to relocate the market but somehow, it appears government has kept on postponing it, probably afraid of losing the considerable income generated from the market.

That the market is sited in a wrong location is to say the least, as it contributes immensely to the traffic gridlock on the Okorodu road. A motorist, Godwin Orji, who spoke with The Guardian, said: “In the morning, it’s always a task for motorists to pass through the area, same as in late afternoon and at night when workers are returning home.”

The Guardian observed that the activities of the traders, displaying their wares on the roadside, and at times, activities of commuter buses are responsible for the incessant traffic gridlock. It is even a difficult task for pedestrians, especially residents of the area to gain entrance to their houses, as all the routes have been taken over by traders, who display their goods on the road, due to the poor structure of the market.

The sanitary condition of the market leaves so much to be desired as waste disposal is still a major albatross with small and large heaps dotting locations within the market.It is obvious that the residents and even traders are exposed to health and environmental challenges, due to the poor sanitary condition of the market.

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Oyigbo Market

Ladipo Market

[FILES] Ladipo Market PHOTOS: OSENI YUSUF, FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI AND GABRIEL IKHAHON

Iba Market

Ambode. PHOTO: LASG

A trader, Madam Yetunde Ayinla, who said health workers and officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) are doing their work on daily basis to ensure that sanity is maintained, said it is the duty of the Waste Disposal officials to evacuate the tons of refuse generated in the market, at the right time.
While the traders are battling with space because of the way the market was structured, motorists too are finding it difficult to transport goods in and out of the market, while its always a difficult task for buyers to gain entrance to the main market.

Ayinla lamented that keeping their goods is also a serious headache, because of inadequate stalls, because the large influx of traders from virtually all parts of the country.“There is no way they can build new stalls to accommodate everybody, not now they are thinking of relocating the market,” she said.
To address these issues, an environmentalist, Segun Obe said the best option is for government to completely relocate the market to a more spacious area, where they can operate without constituting any hazard to people. He added that government might have failed in its master plan but in order not to cause more havoc for motorists, traders and residents, among others, urgent steps needs to be taken.

But The Guardian learnt that government might not achieve relocation option. A trader, Mrs. Moyosore Olawoye, who cited a recent closure of the market in March, following a violent clash said government appears to be confused on that option. “Remember that closure of the market forced the traders to move to Kara Market, along the Lagos/Abeokuta expressway from where they were relocated by Ogun State government to Ogere where necessary infrastructure was provided. But Lagos State, afraid of losing the huge IGR from the market quickly re-opened it,” she alleged.

One of the oldest which is also beset with problems is the Oyingbo Market where even yesterday; KAI officials were chasing unruly traders from one section of the market to another.The Guardian spoke with Daramola Olayemi, a trader who said the economic challenges are affecting their sales.“We face a lot of stress as traders, what with the constant harassment of KIA officials who say we block the road and make traffic flow difficult.

Many of us come around 4am to hawk our wares, then ensure that before 9:30 am we are through, to avoid task force officers, policemen and KIA officers.
One other challenge we face f is from area boys (agbero) who collect N500 to N1, 000 from us daily which they call tax. We want the government to improve this market and make it accessible and the shops affordable for all. “

A commercial bus driver, Ibrahim Kolawole told The Guardian: “We are all aware of the situation of the country; Nigerians who desire change should expect stress and suffering. We have the menace of area boys, task force officers, and the police, but the fact remains that they want to maintain law and order. The only main challenge is area boys. Government should change policy a little bit to adjust to the status of the masses. They should have it in mind that the masses are suffering.”

Another trader, Modinat Oshola told The Guardian: “I used to own a shop but it collapsed so I moved to the roadside as I cannot sell my wares at home. Though government built a shopping complex, we cannot afford the rent because only a few of us have goods that can be valued up to N5,000. As a result, we prefer the roadside but KIA and local council officials will not let us rest”, she lamented.Ladipo Auto Market, situated at Toyota Bus Stop along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, is the biggest market on the West Coast for fairly used automobile spare parts.

Over the years, it has not only grown too big for its current location, it has become a blight in Lagos, a huge obstruction to traffic and its users pose a grave threat to the lives and property of other citizens.To many, Ladipo Market epitomises mindless lawlessness in Lagos as the traders, mostly male, unmindful of the danger they pose to residents and road users, offload their trucks on the road.They create a situation whereby a distance that should normally be covered within three minutes could take over two hours.

Even the policemen who are supposed to maintain order have become part of the disorderliness in the area. Instead of dutifully engaging in policing of this area, they are pre-occupied with allocating, for a fee, parking spaces to motorists who come to the market thereby turning a large swath of the expressway into a garage or a junkyard of disused vehicles.Outraged at the chaos in the market, the Lagos State government has on several occasions,  attempted to restore order by adopting measures ranging from shutting down the market to compelling the traders to clean it up and attempting to ease the traffic with security personnel. But such redemptive measures have often failed.

Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), officials in the market are not helping matters, as heaps of refuse were abandoned at the major entrance of the market contributing to gridlock.Motorists going to Oshodi or Isolo through service lane, lament the pains they go through daily.One of the motorists, Mr. Idris Yusuf, who lives in Isolo said the traffic has made him to miss a lot of appointments.

He said: “I drove down from Charity on the service lane hoping to get to Isolo through the flyover. I have spent over 30 minutes here and yet, have not reached IyanaIsolo.”President, Ladipo Market Central Committee, Mr. Kinsley Ogunorin a telephone interview, said the major challenge the traders have, is lack of good road network, which affects transporting of their goods.Ogunor said: “The most important thing we need is good road network which would help in moving our goods.

Another issue is security; if government can provide security for us so, that after market hours the security operatives would secure our goods when we are not around so, that nobody would steal our goods.”Ogunor said the traders always clean up the market to ensure that the environment is clean for healthy living of the traders.

“We normally observe our environmental sanitation on Thursdays and Fridays of every first week of the month and we used to lock up our shops until after sanitation to ensure proper clean-up.”At Iba Market located to the right en-route Badagry and about half a kilometer long after Volkswagen, one of the most agonizing gridlocks in the state has been blamed on the market.

The incessant traffic along the road often starts from Volkswagen to Iba junction and sometimes stretches beyond Volkswagen.The traffic jam despite the presence of the police and LASTMA officials could be rightly hinged on the location of motor parks along Iyana Ipaja LASU road.Vehicles coming out of the parks located on both sides of the road with those coming from Mile two to link up with Iyana Ipaja LASU road often end up at logjam because of the impatience of the buses drivers.

The market itself has nothing to do with the traffic jam as the traders are kept well off the road, but there is a near-inevitable obstruction as vehicles, private and commercial coming out of the parks from Mile two to link up with Iyana Ipaja LASU road often end up blocking themselves.According to one of the traders, ArinzeOkereke: “The traffic slows us down from getting to our locations in the market, and sometimes we have to come down from vehicles when the traffic becomes unbearable.

“As regards health risks, some of the traders do not pay attention to sanitation as you find some people having filth right in front of their wares. There are traders who, because of the proximity of the dumping site, mess up the entire area and it is not uncommon to find human waste where you should not find it.“Again, waste disposal teams do not come regularly as a result of which heaps of refuse are left for days in the market.
Okereke, who also lives in Iba, said that the major challenge the market poses to the inhabitants of Iba is taking children to wade through the daily traffic to their schools.

“Every vehicle struggles in the traffic and an adult has to be smart to cross because the vehicles are not ready to wait for anyone. The situation can be imagined when a mother is leading a child to cross and has to maneuver such chaotic situation,” he said.Another trader called Mama Tobi said but for the efforts of KAI officials as well as officers of Oto Local Government Council, situation in some parts of the market would have been unimaginable.

“In this part of the market, vehicles that bring yam from the North have created another garage for themselves here and make things difficult for other traders.“Another serious problem we have is flood. Anytime it rains this place is always overtaken by flood to the extent that for days, we would be sacked from the market.”The Chairman, Motor Spare parts dealers, Prince Chris Igbokwe, decried the situation under which the vehicle spare parts dealers operate.

“Any time it rains, flood takes over the road and we are out of the market for many days.“We contribute about N120, 000.00 and N160, 000.00 to clear this canal almost every year because of the effect of flooding which often damages our goods.“We spend a lot of money to buy gravels to fill this place when it rains because of the swampy nature of the ground.“We operate under a very difficult situation just because we have not found an alternative and are now calling on the Lagos State government to come to our aid,” he pleaded.

The popular Ile-Epo Market has some semblance with Mile 12 Market. Though more spacious and has several link roads for entry and exit, the excesses of the traders seem to overwhelm the state government. Few months ago, the market was shut by the government due to poor sanitation, but since its re-opening, it has been business as usual.

For anybody coming to the market for the first time, the first objects that easily attract attention are the heaps of refuse indiscriminately dumped at the entrance, directly facing fish and meat seller stalls.

Another issue is the immoderations of the traders, who go as far as displaying their wares on the highway and all the link roads within the market. Though several stalls were built by government to accommodate them, but some still prefer to go as far as the main road so that they could easily make quick sales.

These excesses contribute to traffic flow on the ever-busy Lagos/Abeokuta express road. The activities of load-carriers and traders who always shun the pedestrian bridge hamper free traffic flow.There have been recorded cases of pedestrians hit by fast moving vehicles, while attempting to cross the roads
Often, traders with loads from either side of the highways crash into one another. Also, motorists who are complaining bitterly, especially in the morning, due to the incessant traffic jam within the axis, which has become unbearable. Motorists can be trapped in the gridlock for hours.

Sadly, the market is sited beside a gigantic dumpsite located close to the popular Gatankowa textile market, where different odours reel into the market. The right side of the market is always waterlogged with odious stench emanating from the coloured-water, traced to the dumpsite.The stink permeating through the entire market is such that can discourage any buyer, considering the danger it poses to health.

The matter is always made worse at night, as the traffic flow at times may be at a standstill, due to the influx of the traders to the roads to do night trading.A resident of Ile-Iwe area, Ajala Saheed told The Guardian that commuting through the market to link up with the express road has always been a terrible experience for him and other road users. He noted that on several occasions, officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) responsible for controlling excesses of the traders have clamped down on them, but they keep returning.

The Guardian learnt that Health workers from the Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), are doing their best especially with the weekly sanitation exercise, but the traders appear to have turned deaf ears to the warnings.