The leaders of the popular Alaba International Market in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State have accused the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government demolishing their buildings in the market with a plan to take off the market from them and hand it over to some Chinese investors who they alleged want to establish a multipurpose market.
The leaders, who made the allegation while reacting to the ongoing demolition in the market, said that neither the local nor the state government notified them of the demolition even though the governments know all the leaders of the market.
Speaking in a video recorded inside the market, one of the market leaders and President of Alaba Amalgamated whose name could not be ascertained said, “I assumed office three years ago, I will be rounding off in October,” and pointing at his colleagues said, “he assumed office two years ago, he assumed office not up to one year.
“We are the leadership of Alaba International Market and Lagos State knows that we exist, the local government knows that we exist. Have they called the leadership of Alaba International Market and brought this thing to our notice, the answer is no.
“Look at the able men controlling the market, and that is why we have Alaba Amalgamated as head so that when there is a problem, we will go to the appropriate authorities.
“The day they came to my office I was having a joint meeting of the BOT (Board of Trustees), information officers and other officers. I saw almost 100 armed Mobile Policemen. I came out to address them and said, this is a market, why are you frightening us? They said they have come for demolition, that these people are land grabbers.
“Did you come to the leadership of Alaba and tell them? We will work hand-in-hand with you. We will not disturb the federal government or the state government from doing their job, but at least, you need to notify us, then we will call our people and tell them their buildings that are involved.”
He said that the notice would have also helped them know how the people will go about the buildings, whether it is about bringing the buildings down and raising them up to a standard or acquiring the necessary documents that need to be acquired or “Do they want to reclaim the land and give it to their so-called business capital that came from China that I heard wants to develop a multipurpose?
“No problem, with time the world will know if actually what they came for is for dilapidated buildings or they have given this place to a foreigner to develop a market inside Alaba International Market.”
According to him, “If actually we are practicing true federalism in Nigeria, an Igbo man can become a chairman in Ojo Local Government, a Yoruba man can become a chairman in any local government in Igboland.
“What is worth doing is worth doing well. These are your citizens, brothers, your people. Why can’t you give them value?
“If actually since 2016 is when they had come to issue this notice, what about the incoming government, the new generation who don’t know what is going on.”
He noted that the state Governor during his campaign visited them in the market and that even though during the election, people voted according to their conscience, “some of us voted for you because we love you. You are our friend. You can’t say you are not seeing this thing that is happening to us.
“Even if this thing is going to take place, why not do it in the right way? Why not give your people at least that listening ear? Why can’t you hear from the leaders of Alaba?
“You know me as the Amalgamated President, you know my brother (colleague) as the President of IMA, you know the President of UPA. You know all of us. Why didn’t you tell those authorities to tell their people to pack their things. At least give us one or two months. It is not too much.
“This Alaba International Market is generating millions of Naira into the purse of the federal government and that of the state and local governments. Now our people are asking questions, what is our offence? What have we done?
“From this thing they are doing, we have lost billions of Naira. Our people are in tears. What I say is, Mr. Governor, please, don’t leave us like this.”
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