Some Festac Town residents and traders in Lagos State on Tuesday expressed shock and anger over the demolition of the Oyinlola Market popularly called ”23 Road Market” by government.
They said the demolition showed the state government’s “insensitivity” to the plights of the people, especially as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) had brought untold hardship to them.
Some traders, in separate interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said they had yet to ascertain why the market was demolished as they were not officially informed by the market leaders.
According to them, the demolition occurred a day after the market leaders said everything was okay.
NAN recalls that the market was demolished on Dec. 12 by the Amuwo Odofin Local Government.
A trader, Mrs Chidinma Ifyaku, said it was sad that the traders were not told the main reason for the demolition.
”Some people say the market has been sold. Nobody knows exactly what the problem is.
“Even the day before the demolition, the market executives were ringing bell, telling us not to worry because there would be no demolition. They are just adding to our frustration.
“Even if they wanted to demolish the market, knowing how rough the year has been as a result COVID-19 lockdown and #EndSARS protests, they ought to have been considerate.
“They sould have waited for us to finish Christmas sales since they were bent on demolishing the market,” she said.
Another trader, Olusegun Ogundipe, said the reasons for the demolition were not enough to warrant an action of such magnitude.
He said: “What we heard was that the market was demolished because some people were selling drugs and living in the market.
”Why can’t government deal with the situation without demolishing a well-built structure?
“Do they know how many people took loans from microfinance banks to trade in the market or how many people that have lost their sources of livelihood because of this action?”
Another trader who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented her loss and said many traders had already stockpiled their shops in anticipation of Christmas sales.
“The market leaders are our problem; they hid everything from us. We just heard it like a rumour.
“The matter had been on for years but they didn’t tell us about it, rather they sold their own shops.
“If we knew it was this serious, we wouldn’t have stocked up in anticipation of Christmas sales. Now I have to depend on orders and home deliveries,” she said.
A trader who simply wanted to be referred to as Elizabeth said it was difficult to believe that the government would demolish an already constructed market, just to rebuild.
“Can you believe that? The market was well-structured. The ones they demolished have yet to be rebuilt and the ones built are not affordable.”
