IKEJA – By Victoria Hanson Petty traders at Alade Market in Lagos state are still lamenting the demolition of their shops and stalls, about two weeks after government moved in bulldozers to level the market.
The market, which is located along Allen Avenue Ikeja, was demolished on Saturday, 6th July 2016.
Some of the affected traders who spoke with Prompt News Online expressed sadness at the development, describing the exercise as an act of intimidation.
A wrist watch dealer, Mr. Igwe Ezekiel said the act was intimidation from the local government and the developer, “Because they feel they have money, they can buy laws.”
According to him, the case concerning the market had been in the court since 2015 and was later adjourned on June 2016 till October 7th 2016.
He was however surprised that the government did not wait for the determination of the case when they moved in to demolish.
Ezekiel said the new Mega Plaza being built by the government would not be okay for the kind of goods they sell, lamenting also accessibility to the place.
“There should be a common market in every area (grassroots market) where people of the lower class can afford any product at any rate. It is not everybody that can afford to buy at Mega Plaza,” he said.
He however appealed to the government to show human feelings by considering the poor masses.
On her part, a tomatoes seller, Rashidat Olagunju, was in tears when she spoke to our Correspondent, saying the untimely demolition has affected their sales while customers have diverted to other markets.
According to her, “the new Alade market which is behind old Alade market is a canal. We had taken the case to the court, as at Tuesday last week, we were told to remain calm, that if actually the market will be demolished we will be informed.
“But, but we were surprised to see developers on Saturday last week pursuing everybody out of the market and the market was sealed “.
The new market, she said can’t accommodate all the traders for now. She posited that government should have completed the site first before moving them out of the market.
She described government’s action as “wicked and evil.”
Another trader who spoke on condition of anonymity is a retail provision seller, wondered how the government wants them raise N400, 000 to pay for shop per year.
“As Christians, we are trusting in God; he will fight this battle for us. I am appealing to the government to consider the poor by giving out shops in an affordable price to enable us earn our living because this is what most of us are using to sponsor our children in school.
“Majority of traders are the bread winners. Now that the market is destroyed and traders scattered, what will I do? She asked.
