Market leaders have petitioned Oyo State’s Adebowale William, the commissioner of police, regarding the alleged actions of some people.
The Princess Folasade Nurudeen and the Market Traders Association of Nigeria were asked to refrain from lighting the state on fire by the Conference of Iyalojas in the state.
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Alhaja Sariatu Olorunero, Iyaloja of Ibadanland, and Alhaja Rafata Wahaab, Iyaloja of Ogbomosoland, both signed the petition.
The two claim that the Iyalojas from 33 local government units in the state signed the statement on their behalf.
The petitioners denied any involvement with Nurudeen’s actions, which they claimed were unfair, immoral, and against the law.
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The market leaders also asked the CP to step in right away, stating that doing so was important to defuse the situation and avert a potential breakdown of law and order in the state.
“We have said it multiple times that Princess Nurudeen has no link with traders in Oyo State previous to her current outburst and unreasonable desperation for the office of Iyaloja-General,” the market leaders wrote in the petition made accessible to pressloaded on Wednesday.
“Despite numerous warnings from different leaders and associations in the state, we observed Princess Nurudeen’s unwillingness to give up her illegal aspiration to impose herself on more than 2.5 million traders in Oyo State with the assistance of rebels in some associations who were grouped with traders by the previous administration.
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“MATAN is an unidentified organization in Oyo State; we are aware of the individuals who invited MATAN and are aware of their objectives. The persons who asked them to create a crisis in the state are not traders; instead, they pose as market leaders to business groups and politicians in order to take advantage of the trusting citizens.
Sadly, we learned from our inquiry that Folasade Nurudeen has never belonged to a trade group in Oyo State. Market Traders Association (MATAN) was not ever registered with the Oyo State Government of Trade and Industry, according to our research with the ministry.
The duty of the Iyaloja-General is outside the purview of any association, hence it is on the record that no association has the legal authority to establish him in any state. The right to elect and install Iyaloja-General rests on traders from all the local government councils in each state, who will be represented by the Iyalojas and Babalojas from all the local government councils.
“It’s easy for these people to lobby MATAN for Folasade Nurudeen’s immoral ambition, which they know can not be achieved but can cause disunity among traders in the state because they are not genuine traders, most of these people are carpenters, bricklayers, food canteen operators.
“Our leaders have elected, ratified and sworn in the Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General of Oyo State before the rebellions and saboteurs collaborated with enemies from outside to destabilize the state. The Babaloja-General of Oyo State is Alhaji Sunmaila Aderemi Jimoh while the Iyaloja-General of Oyo State is Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje and there is no controversy to date on their leadership.
“We would appreciate your quick intervention in stopping the proposed installation of Princess Nurudeen on Thursday 22 September 2022, this will calm the tension down and prevent possible breakdown of laws and order in the state.”