Olowo: Relocated traders bemoan exposure to scorching Sun

From Jimoh Ahmed, Owo
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Barely two weeks after the demise of the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi and the relocation of the King’s market to Ogwata in obedience to tradition, trading in the new market is hellish for traders under the scorching Sun, The Hope investigation has revealed.

Some of the traders who spoke with our reporter said, the open condition of the market is giving them a lot of pain.

Mrs Florence Ijagbemi, a tomato and pepper seller said, the scorching sun is causing them a headache as most of the times they have to use makeshift umbrellas which was not the situation in Oja Oba.

Mrs Ijagbemi said buying and selling have become an issue since the place is rowdy and too small to contain marketers.

She also posited that locating customers by prospective buyers is a difficult experience.

Similarly, Mrs Khadijat Olanitori complained about the situation saying, with the rain setting in, it will be difficult for sellers as they have no shelter to protect them.

Mrs Khadijat also disclosed that the space allocated to them is too small compared with where they were coming from.

Mrs Ojuade Helen, a seller of farm products stated that since the market is on the major road, movement in the market has been difficult.

According to Mrs Ojuade, to navigate through because of the shoddy arrangement has made trading activities difficult.

She therefore called on authority concerned to proffer solution to the issue.

Meanwhile, a Chief in Iloro quarter of the town, Chief Sidney Ogunleye said the problems being faced by the traders were already envisaged.

Ogunleye appealed to them to be patient as it is the tradition of Owo whenever the King passes on.

He however said since honor must be given to whom it is due, all traditional burial rites must be completed for the late Olowo.

He said it is the duty of the senior Omolowos and the king makers to select and install a new king and until this is done the market cannot go back to where it was relocated from.

He however assured that those concerned with the process will put heads together to ensure a new King emerges in no distant time.