Blame market leaders’ insincerity for ordeals
THOUGH words were not enough to describe their agonies over the demolition of Owonifari electronic market in Oshodi by the Lagos State government, traders have started picking up the pieces of what were left of the rubbles a week after.

According to some of them, who have now found succour at the nearby Arena Shopping Complex, located at the Oshodi boundary of the Ikeja Military Cantonment, it is late in the day for them to cry over spilled milk. The traders had earlier rejected the state government’s plan to relocate them to Oshodi Resettlement Market (former Isopakodowo market), citing structural instability and several spiritual activities associated with the new site.

Narrating what he called an unforgettable ordeal, one of the affected traders, who sell cameras, filming materials and accessories, said the roles market leaders played in the saga left little to be desired. The trader, who gave his name as Sunny, said most of the traders, whose goods were trapped and eventually destroyed by the demolition squad, became victims as a result of deceit by the market leaders.

According to him, rather for the leaders, who had been in discussion with officials of government and developers to come out with the truth, they were busy working for their selfish end. The attitude, he said, smacks of betrayal of trust and unforgiveable act by those who should speak on their behalf.

For another trader, Michael, he had to resort to borrowing from his town union to secure a shop at the Arena because a sizeable number of his goods were lost to the demolition and fire. According to him, the leadership of the market, which has been in existence for more than 40 years, chose to deceive the traders during the negotiation.

The only thing I hold against the state government is their refusal to allow traders evacuate their goods before the demolition. “I have a friend who was removing his goods from the market but was reassured by the market leaders that there was no cause for alarm.
“The guy travelled to the village for Yuletide, only for his shop to be reduced to rubbles without recovering anything. Today, the guy is running helter skelter and the worse is that he just borrowed to stock his shop before he embarked on the journey.”

But the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, Obinna Nwosu, told The Guardian that the market executives were yet to meet on the relocation plans, saying “it is after our meeting that we can decide if we will accept it or not.”

He, however, lamented that there was no notice, nor official letter except oral messages that they were coming, because since its renovation in 1999 when the market got burnt, traders voluntarily re-built the market with N750 million and every shop was decked. They assured us everything was going to be settled, which was why many of us returned our goods.”

When The Guardian visited Arena Shopping Mall yesterday, some of the affected traders, who were lucky to secure shops, have started carrying out renovation to make it conducive. They, however, solicited for government’s assistance to ensure they restock their shops.