The Yoruba and Igbo factions of a major association in the Olugbede Model Market in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos are poised for a showdown which could result to loss of lives and property if not nipped in the bud.
The Model Market was rated as one of the most peaceable markets in Lagos State until recently when crisis erupted among members of the GSM Association who constitutes about 95 per cent of the market population.
The situation would degenerate and extend to the host Egbeda community except urgent measures are taken by Lagos State Marketing Board, traditional rulers and other concerned authorities.
Historically, the Model market was reportedly started by some Yoruba traders about 40 years ago but due to the relocation challenges being faced by Ikeja GSM village, some Igbo GSM traders were said to have run to Olugbede Model market for succor and were received with open arms but gradually, the ‘visitors’ were said to have increased in number and dominated every sphere of the market.
Conducive accommodation
Also, because of the peaceful and friendly nature of the Yorubas, the Igbos were not only allocated shops and stalls but were assisted in securing conducive accommodation in Egbeda and its environs for stress free business transaction but the step was later regretted by the ‘hosts’ as the supposed ‘visitors’ seems to gain momentum and turned the table round, a step that has resulted into crises among traders of the model market as well as Egbeda youths who are uncomfortable with the way and manner their kinsmen are being treated.
For this reason, the Yoruba traders now liken the development to the case of a man who invited a neighbour to the dining table but due to the satisfaction derived from the delicacy, the neighbour turned around to hold-on to the feeding hand in order to take possession of the whole meal.
Vanguard findings revealed that the market christened the GSM Association for 15 years, was nurtured to make it ripe for leadership. Ever since the Igbos have cornered the major positions for a period of 12 years.
As another election approaches, an electoral committee was inaugurated to oversee the affairs of the market and supervise the forthcoming election. This has degenerated into crises which has brought about police intervention and if care is not taken, there could be a total breaking down of law and order within the market.
During Vanguard’s visits to the market, there was apprehension and division among the traders as Yorubas and Igbos no longer relate as one.
Also, police authorities have advised that the election be put on hold until normalcy returns to the market.
In a chat with some of the traders, they accused their leaders of mismanagement and insensitivity to members’ plight and prayed the government to intervene in the situation.
When Vanguard contacted the Chairman of the electoral body in a telephone conversation, he said his office was no longer relevant as the election had been put on hold, ‘’the crisis has gone beyond what we think and the Police have intervened. We were asked to suspend the election and put our house in order, as a result, I don’t think I am in the best position to handle any leadership role in the market,”
When the Chairman of the previous government was contacted, he simply said he was not in his best state of mind.
Meanwhile, the Iyaloja of the market Mrs Adebamowo Musili, said the market authorities are leaving no stone unturned to resolve the crisis, ‘’there is no way we will not misunderstand ourselves but it is our duty to resolve it. Both factions belong to us but nobody must be cheated,”
The leader of Egbeda youths, Wahab Okanlawon Ogunji, lamented that the situation if not nipped in the bud could cause breaking down of law and order in the area.
He however said the matter had been taken to the local council development area to no avail, “my sister, we cannot fold our arms and allow things to get out of hands, the traders who are mostly youths have cried to us and we have taken the matter to the LCDA but it is so painful that the Igbos are taking laws into their hands without fear nor favour.”
Effort to reach Iyaloja-General proved abortive as she did not respond to Vanguard calls.
Source: Vanguard
What a very sentimental write up…you re not telling a fairy tale but a real event..why can’t you tell it the way it is or better still publish what you know about the incident rather than creating judgmental impressions on your reader about an incident u didn’t even give enough detail about how it started and what started it…This is Nigeria, owned by none and by all (all of us) the sooner we start realizing this the better for us all and the end of tribalism..I’m very disappointed with the choice of words used by the writer to refer to both factions in question…God bless Nigeria!!!
Krizzie, I don’t care about hw the writer cook the Wright up, buh all I know is that u guyz (igbos) are not meant to be tolerated that much, even in ur various home land u don’t love ursef, business strategies zero, accommodating nil, and what do amazed me the most is that u guyz (igbos) feel like dons in other people’s land, though there are some loving ones among u o, buh if care is not taken, u guyz will cause the down fall of some part of this nation……. !
@Rabson. Well spoken, your words did expossed where you belong called, hate and tribal. I ll not say more to the full meaning of your comment because someone like you ll never grin on reallity truth. @Krizzie, I am also disappointed to the writer. He or she is not a proffessional jounalist but a proffessional divisionist. Its beyound my understand that this writer believes that we readers are low minded like him and failed to write the lopholes the “Yoruba traders” created. In life, you can sell your heart and love because of money and try to have it controlled by you. I believe that those igbo traders paid heavily for those shops and accomodation or are they immigants? Did they get the place for free?
Robson! The hate campaign against the Igbos is not news. It has even given the Igbos more power and enthusiasm in the pursuit of things, whether anybody like it or not, those who have ability to translate their thoughts into practical value will always dominate in every field they are. I don’t know what Robson meant by his saying; that the Igbos lack business strategy and accommodating when the opposite is true. Let the hate campaign continue, but it will never take the blessings. God bless Nigeria.
This is the truth, accept it or not.If you accomodate an ibo man in your house, do not be surprised that he can become the owner of the house at last. They have wide guts that like to consume to any quantity and they are never satisfied until being driven away (e.g. last Jonathan Government that brought badluck to nigeria and the citizens, and far back to the nigerian civil war that actually took its course in the northern part of Nigeria.They war accepted in the north but they took control of all the infrastructures there as if they war in Ibo land. If ibos do not respect the owner of the house, they will be kicked out even with force if neccessary. They are like that every where in the world, greedy ibos have lost their lives or languishing in foreign jails in their greedy attempts to have more than any other person.
Your comments shows you are a certified dumb. Yorobbers are the worst mistake and disease affecting Nigeria entity. I will not waste my time educating a ghetto dumb like you but bear in mind that Yorobber hatred and jealousy of Igbos will never stop Igbos from achieving more success. God bless Igbos!.
Kizzy and obi shut up ur dirty mouths,u tink d yourubas ar fools becus of our simplisity?can we go to d easth and lord over u d way u ar trying to lord over us?bunch of idiots,ur days ar numberd in lagos mark my word
Dismayed with the writers magnitude of sentiment in this write up, it could pass as a hate news, it took away the genuine interest in the write up, could not even manage to state the chairman and previous chairman’s name as reported, showing the shallow knowledge of the situation.
Hope the writer improves on his/her understanding of true journalism cause such tibalism/bigotry would lead to place positive.God bless Nigeria.
Dismayed with the writers magnitude of sentiment in this write up, it could pass as a hate news and took away the genuine interest in the write up, could not even manage to state the chairman and previous chairman’s names as reported, showing the shallow knowledge of the situation.
Hope the writer improves on his/her understanding of true journalism,cause such tribalism/bigotry would lead to no positive place.God bless Nigeria.
naija!
When will Yorubas learn that you do not give Igbos an inch. They are a devious group you cannot trust.
Igbos, I don’t want to know where u came from or who the hell u are, u dare not try such in igbo land, never I say never, abi u done even see space for there market ni, Igbos built houses in all regions across the country, hw many yorubas or hausa has a plot of land in igbo land?
who is stopping you from having a plot of land in Igbo land.
d time we wil start state of residence dts d time niaja wil gt heal. wots all abt dis ibo nd yoruba. we shld b one nigeria nd lev dis sort of rubish. irespectv of wr ur frm in nig wr d same rep of niaja. im a yoruba man nd I hv com acros ibos nd I fel dt dr gud cos I hav ptk a lot from dem. no tribe dt dont hav bad eggs evn yoruba, hausa nd ibo. shld we say cos of bomo haram dt we wik kil any hausa man in sight. dis reporter is too tribalistic, local nd ilitrate. lets b one nigeria. united we stand divide we fall. let dr b one nigeria. robison adewale
Hate, hate, hate. It is so amazing that with d level d world has gone, some people are busy being tribalistic. God, grow up people and look for ways of bettering urself instead of wasting ur lives hating some people because they are hard working and successful.
Dont be quick 2 judge d igbos. We dont look 4 anyone’s truoble ,it just dat we re biz men n women wit passion
Igbos are idiots and giving them chance to do business is like set up a fire on the roof.
How does the leaders mis management of funds and the quest for a new leader consign Igbo and who owns the market or who doesn’t own it. The writer is trying to spread hate message instead of going straight to the point of what cause the fight.
The seed seed of hatred the writer plant today he or she must surely reap someday.
It is obvious that the yorubas are stupid in their thinking.u jealous the igbos simply becouse they are hard working. U all should go and hug transformer.
From the statements made by the market leaders, there is to be an election but they did not make mention of any provocative tribe in particular except for the last person who was speaking out of panic.
In every Electoral process that is of some importance mixed reactions are to be expected. It is Normal, no matter the region it is taking place in.
If the market occupants feel that their present leaders are mis-managing their hard earned funds (as most of you would liken to the past Nigerian governments), then they should elect new leaders whom they feel can be better managers. Simple, its not rocket science.
It is not neccesaary for a group of people to have same opinions about a particular issues at the same time, that is why they all have MINDS of their own. This has gat nothing to do with the language they speak or their believes. Election i believe should be by Choice and i presume the people in question are old enough to make their choices without sentimental attachments.
Whoever that wrote this story is unprofessional and his/her certificate should be queried,, Dont you people pref-read news before publicizing it? why the hate? what do you want to achieve?, and when you dare to achieve it which will never happen, What will you stand to gain?,, give us us the news of what happened and allow the public to be the judge. Whoever that wrote this story should be checked cos he /she might not be a true Nigerian. InformationNiageria be guided
hahaha right 4rm d silly writer down 2 d envy driven are bunch of loafer, unkempt yoruba scorn bags.
Lol
cowards cryin foul
if u tink u can b a governor in east or own assets why not try.
lik seriously i can’t stop laughin wen ppl dyslexia, timid yoruba start whinnin, naggin about how dey can’t own tins in east. Fools
grow up
Please ooo, we need peace!
Where is mama peace? Missing her…
These Igbo are very troublesome, how many times Yoruba fought for such kind of chairmanship or head in Igbo land? can’t you have common sense to think? That why they hate you in the north. Carry on you will soon harvest the bad things you sowed, heh! you no no Yoruba and I wouldn’t tell you until you see yourself .
Sensless story
It so pathetic how some supposed to be professional writer is spreading hate. Business rules the world n an igbo man is known for his swift eye for business. In the east, people pay for shops even before the are built in major cities. I totally disagree with the writer on this one.