Following persistent cases of accidents at its current location within the heart of the town, the Ekiti State Government, has ordered immediate relocation of the Central Market at Iworoko Ekiti, in Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the directive in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, during an interaction with the concerned stakeholders and landowners from the community.
Sequel to the recurrent cases of autocrashes and the attendant carnages in the Iworoko Central Market, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, had a couple of months ago directed the composition of a committee, headed by his Deputy, to resolve issues dogging the relocation of the market to another location within the town.
The composition of the committee stemmed from the mounting opposition from Arinjale family of Iworoko community, who claimed that the proposed land, where the market is to be relocated belongs to them.
Members of the committee are: Mrs Afuye(Chairman), Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata (SAN), his counterparts in the Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Hon Ojo Atibioke , Local Government Affairs, Hon Folorunso Oyebode, Special Adviser on Lands, Prof James Olaleye, and the Chairman of the Ifedara Local Council Development Area, Hon. Sunday Ogundola.
Addressing the stakeholders, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the meeting was on the directive of Governor Oyebanji, that all the stakeholders should be summoned to a roundtable meeting to resolve the bedlam surrounding the proposed new location for the market.
The Deputy Governor appealed to the land owners in the community to allow the market to be relocated at the right time, saying the number of deaths already recorded were enough sadness to the state.
Mrs Afuye urged the community to embrace unity and peace, saying the relocation is expedient at this auspicious time to avert further deaths at the troubled spot.
“I want to appeal to you to allow this market to be relocated. In the last five years, several people had been killed at the current location of the market. Though, the accidents were happening in your domain, but it is within Ekiti State and Nigeria.
“Governor Biodun Oyebanji is not happy about the deaths being recorded at this market when there are other locations where it can be relocated. Let me assure you that the government is ready to give the necessary compensations to the land owners affected.
“Please, don’t sabotage our efforts in ensuring that the relocation is done timely. Governor Oyebanji won’t like a situation whereby another death will be recorded in that market”.
In his submission, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Apata (SAN), said Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution places the onerous responsibility on government to ensure protection of lives and property of the people in the overriding public interest.
“Even, the Land Use Act gave the government the overriding power to acquire any land in public interest, so this action is for your own interest and the government can no longer wait, because lives are being lost”.
Speaking for the Iworoko Community, Engr , revealed that the death of 21 persons during an autocrash in the town in 2019 attracted the attention of the then Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who visited the accident spot on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Engr said argument over the ownership of the land is immaterial at this time, saying virtually all the towns in Ekiti and Southwest have children in Iworoko Ekiti, because of the proximity of the Ekiti State University to the town.
He expressed regret over how Arinjale family had approached the court to get a summon against seven members of the community over the land , clarifying that the land under contention belongs to the people of Odo Uri Quarters and not Arinjale’s.
Speaking for Arinjale Family, Mr. Julius Babalola, said the land under contention was given to the Catholic Church by his family to build a school a few years ago, expressing regret over how the land was being claimed by Iworoko as a community land.
Babalola said the community can relocate the market to a befitting market stalls built by Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki for Iworoko community, revealing that the family had earlier given 39 acres of lands to build Iworoko Community High School and that it will be wrong for their land to be hijacked for the new market.
Responding to the matters raised by Arinjale family that they were not adequately consulted on the take over of the land, the Chairman of Ifedara Local Council Development Area, Hon. Lawrence Ogunsanya, said he took all the necessary actions were taken before ceding the land for market relocation.
The Chairman averred that there were no economic trees and crops as well as buildings on the land to warrant compensations for Arinjale’s family as being claimed.
“Having permanent solution to the issue of accidents and killings is the issue that is paramount to me. The crisis has prevented the government from building the market, but this year, we will build it. So, I plead with the stakeholders to release the land peacefully in the interest of the community”.
Earlier in his Presentation of the report, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr Abayomi Opeyemi, stated that the need to relocate the market started in 2019, when over 19 persons were killed in an accident, which propelled the Iworoko people to ask for the relocation.
The Regent of Iworoko Ekiti, Princess Bolanle Ogundola, appreciated the state government for intervening in the matter, pointing out that it will help in resolving the issue of the community being plunged into mourning always.