APC apex leader moves to stop extortions in Lagos markets

—-Says Iyaloja not in support of conflict among traders—

By Ezurike Ugochukwu  and Ambrose Nnaji  

Extortions of traders by leaders in the Lagos markets may after all be a thing of the past as the Apex Leader in the Igbo All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State and State House of Assembly Member, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has said efforts were in progress to address the root cause and proffer a lasting solution among the traders in the state.

Igbo traders in the popular Computer Village, as well as the Mandilas, Ladipo, Balogun, Alaba International, and the Trade Fair (ASPANDA) Markets in the Lagos state had raised the alarm over the extortions, marginalisation and unwelcome treatments being meted on them by the market leaders which had many a times resulted to conflicts and destruction of goods and chattels belonging to the Igbo business men and women in the state.

Nation Update gathered that the Igbo traders had also agitated over the exclusion in the Board of Trustees(BOT), adding that the rotational presidency that was practiced in the past by the Computer and Allied Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN),had been thrown away.

Idimogu however noted that the problem at the Computer village likewise every other markets in the state was not only the issue of extortion but also name dropping, adding that the representatives of the General market leader (Iyaloja General ) would go to the markets and do things the Iyaloja General never said just to enrich themselves at the expense of the traders, and by so doing giving her a bad name.

According to the law maker, the people giving her a bad name were her representatives, describing the Iyaloja General as cool headed and democratic to the core.

“She listens to all the people and takes very genuine decision, but only that the followers will be saying she said this, and she said that when she has not said any of such, that is the problem of our politics also,” Idimogu stated.

“When they drop such name, who are you going to ask? that’s how they work. They keep on extorting money from the traders with her name when she has not sent them to do so,” Idimogu added.

From what I gathered the last time we met, the Iyaloja general said the Igbo traders would be given some slots in the trusteeship so that they would have a say in what concerns them. Idimogu said this was necessary because you can’t have so much investments and not have a say in what concerns your business, it’s not fair.

According to him, “even if you don’t want me to dominate which is ideal, but it’s only fair that you put one or two people at the helm of affairs so that when things are happening they would go and report to their own people, it breeds fairness and understanding”, the law maker believed.

Idimogu noted that businesses in those markets had generated huge revenue to the government and economically grew the state and the entire society in the area of job creation for people living in the state, whatever you are doing and the economic gain is not there, you are at lost, he added.

While disclosing that the attention of the Iyaloja had been drawn to the issue, Idimogu stressed the need to manage the situation well to avoid future conflicts adding that only dialogue would bring a lasting solution.

“You need to apply persuasion in doing certain things, you may not lord it over the owners of the land but at the same time it’s a give and take. The owners of the land can’t be the traders there, and if the land is there and there is nobody to trade on it and make money, it will lie waste,” the law maker expressed.

Sir &Lady Idimogu

“The benefits should be both ways, the Igbo man would pay something to the owner of the land, but at the same time, the Iyaloja and Papa Oja should understand that without those people making those trading, they can’t benefit.”

Idimogu who is as at today the highest ranking political office holder of Igbo extraction in Lagos  noted that the computer village was the biggest information communication technology (ICT) Centre in Africa, said that presently, the value of property in that place had grown enormously compared to what it was in the past when business started there.

“Normally, there may be issues, the Igbos want to have a say in the leadership of the computer village which is not out of place. But they also have to understand that the issue of who owns the land is critical, there’s the need to balance such concerns with the owners of the land.

“Igbos don’t want to take it all, it takes dialogue, you don’t fight over such things”, Idimogu added.

The Igbo traders had protested that they didn’t want the market leaders again, Idimogu who differed from that position presented the fact that in Lagos it was difficult to tell the owners of the land that you don’t want them in the markets, arguing that as far as the state government is concerned, Iyaloja General is in charge of all the markets in the state.

She must have representative, “what we should be worried about is the fact that some of them go out of their way and use the authority to dictate what she never instructed, which is bad.

Iyaloja General

“I have told my people, Iyaloja will have representative, but the only thing, if she doesn’t like those ones or they are not doing the right thing, from what I have seen, she will definitely change them, but to say she will not have representative at all in the markets, I don’t think that’s the practice here in Lagos.”

The law maker observed that in  the markets where the Igbos are doing business, they have them, they are not complaining, that  they wouldn’t have complained if not that they are too hard on them.

“The issue of carrying them along in the Board of Trustees (BoT) is very important. I can see that in the issue of conflict resolution/ dialogue, you cannot have it all, you give some, you take some, that’s how it goes.

“As at the last meeting, Iyaloja asked them to bring some names she would incorporate into the BOT, and I feel if that is done, they would be happy, and she also penalized one of the Iyaloja representing her there.

“For me, both Igbo’s and Yoruba’s are important which means continuous consultation matters a lot and having open mind to serve the traders and the Iyaloja.

“Iyaloja is an experienced person, she has been in this leadership for a while. I also advise that from the look of things she need to have a monitoring team that would be monitoring the activities and excesses of her representatives because at times, administrations run based on policies that have been mated out by the representatives of the government.

“Things get bad when you only hear what they say without hearing what the people say, it may not go down well, obviously it’s a problem to you.

“We will take them one after the other, our idea is to visit almost all the markets, consult with their leaders, we wouldn’t know the kind of challenges they have.  If need be, we will run down to the Iyaloja general because she is a kind hearted person

“For me when we visit these markets, and as a member of the Lagos state house of assembly, we will get to know their problems and know the areas they want our contribution. Anytime they have any challenge, I will lead the team to the general market leader, consultation is the key, Idimogu added.

High Chief Uche

Chief John Uche, who is the Founder, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Lagos State, Chairman of King Makers of Ndieze in Diaspora, and President General, Igbo Nations Stakeholders Assembly Worldwide, said the Igbo community were aware of the challenges the sons and daughters of Igbo origin were facing in the Lagos markets including the computer village and Kantangwa market.

Uche assured that the Igbo community through the apex leader would lead a delegation to the Lagos state government to address the issues of over taxation and extortions of the Igbo traders in the Lagos markets.