The Iyaloja-General of Ikorodu Division, Dcns Chief Mrs Busola Elizabeth Isikalu has dissolved the entire executive leadership of Igbodu Plank Market in Ikorodu Local Government over the protracted leadership crisis that has been rocking the market for almost 15 years.
Isikalu, who paid an official visit to the market on a peace mission on Friday with a retinue of other Ikorodu Division Market Leaders noted that the essence of market leadership was to ensure that peace reigns in the markets.
She noted with regret that the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Chief Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo had paid a similar visit to the same market last year but lamented that despite the intervention of the Nigerian Market leader, a particular family who claimed that they donated the land for the market have refused to sheathe their swords.
The Ikorodu Division Market leader traced the genesis of the crisis to a faction from the family that donated the land who has been insisting on dominating the leadership of the market, thus threatening the peace of the over 200 traders in the plank market.
Isikalu clarified that, once a family donated land for public use, like a market, it automatically becomes the property of the government and it was at the discretion of the government and market leadership to determine whether or not to appoint any member of that family into its leadership.
‘Whenever a family donated land for the purpose of building a market, it has become the property of the government. Hence, the family can no longer lay claim to the land or insist on having any member of such family in the market leadership’.
She added that, ‘In the same vein, that a family donated land to the government for public use for a school, Police station or hospital does not mean that any member of the family that donated the land must become the School Principal, DPO or Medical Director’.
She stated that for peace to reign, the family had earlier been compensated with the positions of Babaloja, Iyalaje and Babalaje, yet they have refused to allow peace to reign in the market.
On her part, the Iyaloja of Igbodu Plank Market, Alh. Hazmat Monsurat has appealed to the government, security agencies and all well-meaning leaders to come to her aid. She stated that for over 10 years she has been installed as Iyaloja, the said family has not allow d her provide leadership in peace.
According to her, her life and that of her loved ones have been under constant threats from the Iyalaje and her family members. She cited the instance of her husband who was recently injured by thugs sponsored by the Iyalaje and her family.
‘Whenever they have issues with other traders in the market, they are fond of unleashing mayhem on the entire market by inviting cultists to brutalize the persons without recourse to the Iyaloja of the market. My husband is currently ill due to the injury inflicted on his leg by her thugs recently’, she added.
She further explained that her visit was in response to the request of the traders from the market that petitioned her office and appealed for her intervention in restoring peace and order reign to the market.
Many of the traders who were filled with joy at the announcement of the dissolution of the market leadership could not hide their joy as they clapped and thanked Iyaloja Isikalu for her timely intervention.
Though, the siblings accused of being behind the crisis accused Isikalu of taking sides, most of the traders who spoke to Ikorodu Oga Radio on condition of anonymity lamented that their livelihood had been threatened by the protracted leadership crisis.
They expressed hopes that the intervention of the Iyaloja-General of Ikorodu Division would put paid to the leadership crisis that has lingered for almost 15 years.
