Ogun: Controversy Over plan to demolish another set of Stalls in Popular Kuto Market

..50 affected traders may sue Developer, Abeokuta South LG
..warn Iyaloja of Egbaland to stay off the move

The plan by Abeokuta South Local government to extend demolition of another fifty stalls to pave way for modern shops in the market has met stuff resistance from 50 traders operating in the Market.

The traders who hinged their resistance to the ways the Developers handled the issues of the victims of those whose stalls were destroyed at the first batch, warned that any attempt to go ahead with the planned demolition will be legally resisted.

Also the traders who frowned at the collaboration of the Iyaloja of Egbaland, Chief Mrs Kemi Oloyede, said her connivance

About Fifty Traders and Shop owners at the popular Kuto Market have kicked against an attempt to demolish their stalls, warning the management of Abeokuta South Local Government and the Developer engaged to handle the project to stop the move or risk legal action.

The affected traders call for urgent intervention of the state government before the matter gets into a full scale legal battle.

The traders who through their counsel, Paney Attorneys warned that attempt by the local government through the Developers to demolish about 50 stalls occupied by its client may result in a legal battle

The 50 traders at the popular Kuto Market in Abeokuta South LGA of Ogun State have issued a 7 – day ultimatum to the local government, asking it to withdraw immediately any contract pertaining to their shops that is between it and a Developer – Messrs Y.A. OSHUNKOYA VENTURES NIGERIA LIMITED.

The traders – namely: Mrs. R.A. Saka; Mrs. Jimoh Ogunbodede: Mrs. Mopelola Oladipo. Mrs. S.A. Oguntade: Mrs. Ajadi Oluwatoyin: Mrs. Yusuf Falisa and Alhaja Sifau and forty-three (43) others, also asked the Iyaloja of Egbaland, (Mrs) Kemi Oloyede and the traders association which she leads, to withdraw the inordinate order which she served them and steer off the matter concerning their shops at Kuto Market.

The notices dated 3rd and 15th of October, 2024 respectively which were issued through the law firm of Paneh Attorneys in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, were also copied to the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Ministry of Women Affairs, the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo among others.

The aggrieved traders claimed that they have been tenants of the Abeokuta South local government in the last 30 years without defaulting in rent payments for their lock – up stalls and open shops in the market.

They, however, alleged that the developer in agreement with the council administration pulled down their existing stalls and shops to erect new ones requiring them to pay outrageous amount of money which neither their income nor profit from businesses in the market could afford.

According to the notices, traders in the open stalls with operating capital ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 were asked to pay N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) to acquire their open stalls back while those trading in lockup-shops with operating capital ranging from N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) to N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) were asked to pay Five million (N5.00000) to acquire their lock-up-shops back from the Developer.

It was learnt that the Developer claimed to have taken loans from conventional commercial banks to finance the project in the market and following from this and the harrowing experience the traders have been going through due to the inability to raise the required amount of money to acquire the stalls and shops and attendant dislodged from their places of business, they decided to serve the council notice to withdraw any agreement or contract with the developer.

The aggrieved 50 traders also lamented that the same market Chiefs who should be seen to be protecting them and the teeming population of other market traders have allegedly turned round to join hands with the external forces to inflict untold hardship on them.

They, through their lawyer, therefore advised the Iyaloja of Egbaland to stay away from the matter.

“…We have the instruction of our clients to demand from you within seven (7) days of receiving this letter, withdrawal of whatever the contract or agreement you have with the Developer on our clients shops (where they are trading to earn their economic livelihood since the past thirty (30) years) the same is capable of further compounding the economic crisis and hardships on our Clients.

“TAKE NOTICE in case of your failure to comply accordingly, our Client will at the expiration of a month after the service of this Notice on you proceed to Court of Law to enforce they demand as a result of which this notice is also serving as PRE-ACTION NOTICE to your Local Government,” the notice reads in part.

•Below are the full notices to the local government and Iyaloja of Egbaland

(1)The Secretary to the Local Government Administration,

ABEOKUTA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT,
Ake. Abeokuta.
The Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA),
ABEOKUTA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Ake. Abeokuta
Sir
PRE-ACTION NOTICE
We are Solicitors and Advocates acting for an on behalf of Mrs. R.A. Saka; Mrs. Jimoh Ogunbodede: Mrs. Mopelola Oladipo. Mrs. S.A. Oguntade: Mrs. Ajadi Oluwatoyin: Mrs. Yusuf Falisa and Alhaja Sifau for and on behalf of themselves and other forty-three (43) occupiers/traders in shops’ numbers 1-50 in Kuto market. Abeokuta: property of your Local
Government and on their behalf we write this letter.

Our clients informed us and we verily believed them that they acquired shop numbers I- 50
individually and separately through Government since the past thirty 30 years) Pocesses and procedures from your L.ocal for their trading activities and sources of income and economic livelihood since then to-date.

To the surprise of our clients, your Local Government engaged one Y.A Oshunkoya Ventures Nigeria Limited sometimes in the past nine (9) months as a Developer to demolish their lock-up-shops and other lock-up-shops and open stalls in Kuto. market and rebuild into one-storey buildings to be re-allocated to them and other interested people.

Our clients further informed us and we verified, believed them that a set of lock-up-shops and
open stalls numbering over one hundred (100) in the market (not among their shops) were
initially demolished as part of the project and built to the specified one storey building, but yet to be allocated to the original owners and other interested allotees due to the exorbitant amount of money that the Developer in-conspiracy with the Management of your Local
The government is demanding from them.

That the money demanded from the traders are not affordable compared to their business activities; traders trading in open stalls with operating capital ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 are asked to pay N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) to acquire their open stalls back. Those trading in lockup-shops with operating capital ranging from N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) to N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) are asked to pay Five million (N5.00000) to acquire their lock-up-shops back from the Developer. The Developer is claiming to have taken loans from conventional commercial banks to finance the project

That their inability to raise the required amount of money to acquire the stalls and shops rendered the commercial centres unaffordable and could not be re allocated since the past four months of completion to-date. Moreso, the economic lives of the traders whose stalls and shops were demolished to build the complexes have been exposed to danger as a result of their disengagement from their places of economic activities; also their health have been exposed to challenges of struggling to trade in the rain and sun while some resulted to stressing themselves extraordinarily by hawking across various markets and the township at large.

Our clients were further surprised that while the challenges confronting over 100 traders in the market persists, the Developer further claimed to have the approval of your Local Government moved his engineers, artisans, security teams and others to the site of our clients’ shops number 1- 50 in the evening of Sunday, 29th September, 2024 between the hours of 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm to commence demolition of their shops without prior notice from both your Local Government and the Developer.

That it was a combined team of the youths in Kuto community with the Policemen of the NIGERIA POLICE, Abeokuta Metro Area Command led by the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ibara Police Station with large turnout of the market men and women who were alerted from their respective homes and the generality of the people of the area that assisted our clients to stop the team from demolishing our clients’ shops Nos 1 -50 with their goods inside the shops.

That before being able to stop them from the evil acts; the two armed Policemen brought to the market by the Developer were shooting guns sporadically and spraying teargas to scare people away and the team have demolished the extension tents of the first five (5) shops of our clients (shops I- 5). The two armed Policemen who were brought to the market neighbouring State without the knowledge and consent of the Police Authority State were later arrested and detained in lbara Police State Station, Abeokuta around 10:00 pm on Sunday 29th September 2024 other representatives of the Developer including the
Engineers and carpenters absconded and ran away.

Our clients are paying their rents to the Local Government accordingly and have paid for this year 2024 till 31 of December 2024.This is coupled with the fact that planned development
coupled with the antecedent of the developers and your Local Government will further
compounding unnecessary hardship our clients have been exposed to in the couple of
months due to removal of fuel subsidy without any relief from the Government. This is
because the capacity of our clients will not be able to afford the likely demand for the planned shops by your Local Government and the Developer on the pretext of obtaining bank loans.

Owing to the aforestated complaints, we have the instruction of our clients to state clearly that your intention to demolish and re-develop the shops is primarily an act of conspiracy between the Management of the Local Government and the Developer to push pressures on our clients and other traders in Kuto market to extort money that are not within their reach
presently. Your action is capable of exposing them to hardships like you did to over 100 traders in the market that are currently experiencing the crisis.

Therefore, we have the instruction of our clients to demand from you within seven (7) days of receiving this letter, withdrawal of whatever the contract or agreement you have with the Developer on our clients shops (where they are trading to earn their economic livelihood since the past thirty (30) years) the same is capable of further compounding the economic crisis and hardships on our Clients.

TAKE NOTICE in case of your failure to comply accordingly, our Client will at the expiration of a month after the service of this Notice on you proceed to Court of Law to enforce their demand as a result of which this notice is also serving as PRE-ACTION NOTICE to your Local Government.
Thank you.

(2) (Mrs) Kemi Oloyede,
Iyaloja Egbaland,
Asero Market, Abeokuta.

Dear Chief Mrs,

INORDINATE ORDER

We are Solicitors and Advocates acting for and on behalf of Mrs. R.A. Saka,
Mrs. Jimoh Ogunbodede, Mrs. Mopelola Oladipo, Mrs. S.A. Oguntade, Mrs. Ajadi Oluwatoyin, Mrs. Yusuf Falisa and Alhaja Sifau for and on behalf of themselves and other forty-three (43) occupiers/traders in shops’ numbers 1-
50 in Kuto market, Abeokuta, the property of Abeokuta South Local Government and on their behalf we write this letter.
Our clients informed us and we verily believed them that you; the Iyaloja of Egbaland, Chief Mrs. Kemi Oloyede and the executive members of the
association of market traders in Abeokuta gave an order to them to vacate their
business premises and sources of economic activities within the period you
specified to give way for a Developer – Messrs Y.A. OSHUNKOYA
VENTURES NIGERIA LIMITED to demolish their fifty (50) lock-up shops in the market for the emergence of storey building complexes.

Our clients further informed us and we believe that you and the executive members of your association gave this directive at a meeting specifically conveyed by you for that purpose in Abeokuta on Saturday, 12th October, 2024 between 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm. Our clients also informed that you threatened that whoever fails to pack out of the shops will regret doing so. since your action has the support of influential persons including the Executive
Governor of Ogun State; His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Alake
and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland – Oba (Dr,) Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo stressing that the developer has been given an order to demolish the shops with claims that is totally false and cannot be or without goods therein, a substantiated.

It is important to let you know that the goods inside these fifty (50) shops have
been valued to be over NI.000,.000, 000 (One Billion Naira) and if the Developer ever attempt to embark on the demolition of these shops as directed by you and your association, then, you and your association and of course, the
The developer shall be liable for special and general damages.

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You are to further note that the issue relating to the shops is purely a contract between our clients (tenants) and Abeokuta South Local Government
(Landlord) which does not, in any way involves you and your association and our clients have made their positions on the shops known to the Management of Abeokuta South Local Government through a letter written by our chambers on the 2nd October, 2024 and copied to relevant Authorities of Ogun State
Government and Security Agencies including the Developer (photocopy
attached).

Take special note also that over one hundred lock-up-shops and open stalls
previously demolished and reconstructed into storey buildings by the Developer is yet to be allocated to interested people because of the exorbitant amount of money being demanded by the Developer which people cannot
afford to pay as the Developer is claiming to have taken loans from a commercial banks to execute the project.

We have the instruction of our clients to call your attention to the fact that your association supposed to protect the interests and rights of market women and men in Abeokuta in particular and Ogun State in general by ensuring that
market traders earlier displaced from their locations by the Developer in the
first phase of the project for the past six (6) months are settled back in their
places of economic activities to relief them of the sufferings currently being encountered in the rain and sun and its implications on their economic lives and health.

It is disheartening that the same market Chiefs who should be seen protecting
the teaming population of market traders have turned round to join hands with
external forces to inflict untold hardship on them.
Your action amounts to conspiracy with the Developer to further expose market
women and men in Kuto market to hardships instead of protecting their interests and rights. Hence, you are advised to stay away from the matter to
avoid embarrassment.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED