Yoruba traders at Sasa Market in Ibadan have complained bitterly about the alleged relocation of the market to another location after the crisis that engulfed it.
The traders said this at a peace meeting held at the Olubadan Palace, Oja’ba which was convened by Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun and Oba Owolabi Olakulehin respectively.
Speaking through the Public Relations Officer of the Yoruba trading community in the market, Adam Fijabi said despite the understanding they showed during the crisis, they were still treated poorly.
According to him, ‘’we were appealed to, not to retaliate and we have kept our cool, but, there is a limit to our endurance. We won’t sit akimbo in hopelessness, watching the destroyers of our means of livelihood and heritage living their own normal lives in the same community with us’’.
Governor Seyi Makinde promised at the end of the crisis that the government would compensate all the victims who suffered both human and material losses.
Editor Nigeria gathered that a large portion of virgin land had been acquired at Akinyele Local Government before the crisis where they moved to after most stalls and shops at Sasa had been burnt.
The traditional rulers under the aegis of Ibadan Obas’ Council used the opportunity to tell the Chairman of Arewa Communities in 17 Southern States of Nigeria, Alhaji Haruna Mai Yasin Katsina, that he should face the reality that irrespective of the honour accorded him, he is under the chieftaincy stool of the community leader of Sasa, Chief Amusa Ajani where he resides.
They complained that the pre-eminence position granted the Seriki n’Sasa, in the scheme of things in the state was unbecomingly asking all the relevant authorities to know and accept the fact that the community leader is under the Baale of Sasa.
The traditional rulers however pacified the residents and urged them to be patient just as they called on the state government to look into ways to make the residents happy. Part of what they asked the government to do urgently is to rebuild the Sasa market and ensure that the local government takes complete charge of revenue collection.
