Why Oyo State Market Leaders Council Cannot Be Rubbished — Traders

The leadership of the Oyo State Market Leaders Council has insisted that the council remains a legitimate and recognized body representing traders across the state, warning against any attempt to undermine its authority or replace it with what they described as an “unknown body.”

In a statement made available to the press, representatives of the council traced the history of the body to 2004 during the administration of former Oyo State Governor, Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja. According to the traders, the council was initially established as the Market Advisory Council to coordinate market leadership and serve as a liaison between traders and government.

They explained that the structure of the council was later strengthened during the tenure of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, when the body was renamed the Market Leaders Council. At the time, six market clusters were formally recognized as part of the council’s operational structure.

The traders further recalled that in 2018, the council was expanded to include additional associations such as the Oyo State Joint Traders and Artisans Association, bringing the number of recognized clusters to eight.

They also acknowledged the support received during the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, noting that eight buses were allocated to the eight clusters to support the activities of traders across the state. According to them, the governor later approved the inclusion of four additional market associations, which were subsequently inaugurated by the former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Olasunkanmi Olaleye.

However, the council expressed concern over what it described as the refusal of the current Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Niyi Adebisi, to inaugurate the council as expected.

The traders alleged that there are moves to sideline the established council and replace it with another body that lacks recognition among traders in the state.

“We are traders who operate with our personal capital and under legally recognized associations with their own constitutions,” the statement read. “No individual or authority can render us irrelevant in the markets where we legitimately conduct our businesses.”

The council warned against what it described as intimidation and attempts to undermine the long-standing structure of market leadership in the state, urging the authorities to respect the historical and institutional role of the Market Leaders Council.

They further called on relevant stakeholders in government to ensure that the existing framework guiding market administration in Oyo State is preserved in the interest of stability and harmony within the trading community.