Oyo Traders Decry Threat by Impostor to Destabilise Union’s Peace, Unity

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

Market women in Oyo State under the aegis of the Conference of Iyalojas have raised the alarm over an alleged plan by Princess Folasade Nurudeen (aka Abeo Osa) to destabilize the existing peace and unity among traders in the state.

The group, in a statement by its Secretary, who is also the Iyaloja of Ogbomosoland, Alhaja Rafata Wahaab, described Princess Nurudeen as a virus brought illegally and fraudulently into the traders’ families by rebels who conspired to destabilise the existing unity among the traders.

She said Nurudeen has been warned several times to desist from parading herself as a member of traders in Oyo State, adding that her claimed group, Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN), is not known in the state, as it is an ignoble thought to intrude into a registered association in an unconstitutional manner.

She alleged that going out to position herself for what she is not qualified for among the traders is mere wishful thinking, noting that she needs to learn the role by starting from scratch and moving up gradually.

According to her, “We are more than ready to checkmate the illegal activities of Princess Folasade Nurudeen, popularly called Abeo Osa, who was planted by insignificant rebellions among the traders to overturn the peace and harmony enjoyed by traders in Oyo State, otherwise, they will keep misleading unsuspecting members of the public.

“It is not impossible that Folasade Nurudeen and her fellow conspirators are ignorant of what the title Iyaloja, Babaloja, Iyaloja-General and Babaloja-General stand for due to their unfamiliarity with the operation of traders’ associations in Oyo State, hence they misinterpreted trade and market titles for honourary or traditional titles. Otherwise, how could someone who has never participated in traders’ union or association activities in the last 20 years be dreaming of leading traders in a pacesetter state, a state blessed with highly cerebral people?

“Unfortunately, the association approached by Folasade Nurudeen and her associates to save her from embarrassment is not also known to us in Oyo State. We challenge the said association to publish the names of their members out of over 2.5 million traders in Oyo State together with the receipts and waybills of all transactions done in the last seven years for Investigation.

“The most pathetic of it all is the ignorance exhibited by the association planning to install her as the Iyaloja-General of Oyo State/South-west. The individual association has no right nor capacity to install anybody as Iyaloja-General, all women from various market places are under the leadership of Iyaloja-General, irrespective of their various associations. Only the Conference of Iyalojas from the 33 local government councils and five geopolitical zones in Oyo State has the sole right to appoint Iyaloja-General.

“It is also pertinent to make this clarification that leaders of all recognised traders associations in Oyo State are on the board of Oyo State Traders Advisory Council recently constituted and inaugurated by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde. Why is MATAN (Folasade Nurudeen’s association) not represented on the board?

“We would have ignored her and her people but as trader bodies, constitutionally registered under the Nigerian constitution, we have the responsibility of protecting our members, government agencies, corporate organisations, banks, multinational firms, members of the public and politicians, especially now that electioneering process has commenced ahead of 2023 elections.

“No one can emerge as the head of traders in Oyo State without previously holding various positions in the association he or she belongs. For instance, the current Iyaloja-General of Oyo State, Alhaja Saratu Aduke (Konibaje), has held various positions in the past, from unit to local government, zonal and state. In actual fact, she is to date the President of Agriculture Produce Sellers Association in Oyo State. She was among the first set of traders that started Bodija International Market some decades ago.

“We, therefore, advise politicians, government agencies, corporate organisations, banks, NGOs, manufacturers, importers and exporters, as well as farmers to investigate properly on who they will relate with on market, trade and farm issues. We are making our complaints public to save people and organisations from committing their money, goods and properties to people without addresses.”