ALHAJI Haruna Rabiu Babangida is the new Chairman of Oko Market, Asaba, with other 11 member executive handling different portfolios.
The tough-looking fish, cow, goat and onion merchant being a member of these sections of the market, does not fail to tell you he is a politician, a career he seems to cherish so much. He is above all, very intelligent which explains why he is eloquent.
In a chat recently with Midweek Teaser, the new Chairman, said his very first assignment in the market is to bring peace, because, according to him, there has been lots of disaffection in this place of buying and selling.
About two weeks now in office, Babangida said from the very day he was announced as the Chairman of the market everywhere was calm, and evidence of peace having resurrected, very visible. He says as far as he is the Chairman he no longer has opposition, his immediate concern being to bring all parties together, adding that his driving force in the market will be maintaining peace and harmony, and enjoined all to tow the same line.
The new Chairman says his team is formidable one, made up of serious and hardworking members that are ever-ready to tackle all upheavals frontally, if any.
He said the major challenge facing the market security is not having the necessary apparatus to work with, saying that there was the need to have at least Pump Action gun and other defense mechanism. He says government by granting them license to obtain gun for their security personnel will make room for proper security of the market he describes as among the best in Asaba metropolis. He says as a market in the state capital, there is the need to have constant light in the market and a good access road to it from the Asaba-Benin Expressway down to the end of the market.
Babangida extended his heart-felt gratitude to the Oshimili-South and the Delta State governments for giving them free hand to operate in the market.
Rabiu Babangida said the two things, and very powerful disorganizers of any meaningful development is not having peace and security in any given place, be it in the market, office, school etc.
On the side-line, some of the youths in the market interviewed expressed worries over what some of them are doing likely to cause commotion someday.
One of them who gave his name as Okey and claims to hail from Umuezei in Asaba, said he is a living witness to the fact that where the market situates belongs to his village and all the necessary documents both the ones they used in winning the case brought against them by certain communities, and miscreants, and the ones showing that they are the bonafide owners of the land are all available, saying the silence they are keeping on the whole issue should not be seen as cowardice, saying that the situation should not be handled in a way that will create the impression that it is a time bomb everyone is waiting to explode someday as there would be no going back on the youths resolve to have the land of their forebears reclaimed.
According to Okey, a tenant cannot come into a landlord’s land and start detecting who comes in or won’t come in the landlord’s own land, saying the highest sign-post may have been mounted, but some day the true ownership of the land will soon be exposed; whether that arch will still be kept standing or pulled down, it is a question of time, saying the insult on Umuezei people over their property would soon be addressed because they own the whole land covering the entire market and beyond.
He said ‘how can someone come to you cap in hand, begging that you help him with a plot of land to cultivate his farm and later start dragging your land with you. It is an issue we the youths would address, we are not waiting for our elders to do that.’ He said.
Another major player who pleaded anonymity from Oko community says as we all belong to the same local government that there was no need for any bickering over land.
On why the defacing of some sign-posts in the market bearing ‘ASABA’, he says that could be the handiwork of some ignorant and mischievous persons because, according to him, ‘Asaba as the local government headquarters and its higher status as a state capital cannot be undermined more so that the land, we learnt, belongs to a certain quarters in Asaba. All I’m saying is that we live and exist in harmony, live and let leave.’ He stated, urging the new Chairman of the market, local and state governments, and other stake-holders to address the issue as he believes in, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God, what belongs to God, calling on all concerned not to get the issue politicized for peace to continue reigning in Asaba and its environs.
Meanwhile, some of the traders interviewed in the market complained they were being chased into the market out from the road shoulders they stay to transact their businesses. They also complained of being disturbed by many authorized and un-authorized taskforce members from different communities in Asaba, Oko and even across the Niger, not knowing what to do as they are saddled with different levies and tickets which they buy, wondering how much sales they are making to warrant such illegal tickets. ‘They will come in their numbers throwing our hard-earned wares displayed for sales away.’ Mrs. Angela Boi complained.
‘Now, they say we should not be staying off the main road, go inside the market. Since they started chasing us inside, market has been difficult for us, and different taskforces come from the council headquarters, Asaba, they are still those that claim they are from certain groups in Asaba, those from Oko, some from across the Niger even beyond all claiming to be working for the interest of the market, yet they are no good roads in the market, no light, and sometimes we don’t get water. And this market happens to be one of the biggest markets in the Asaba, the state capital where government people are resident, but they will not make the market comfortable for us. All jobless youths from Oshimili gather here every morning to be extorting money from us. Sometimes you see them clashing over money they did not work for, but extorted from us innocent traders. I just hope our new Chairman will put these illegal taskforces out from here.’ Mrs. Onyenannaya Amarachi complained to Midweek Teaser.
