A task force set up by the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran has stormed market places in Ijesaland to prevent traders, especially food items sellers from shortchanging buyers with exorbitant prices and fake measurements of grains.
This happened as the prominent traditional ruler said he would not reverse his action of outlawing the excesses of exploitative trading associations in Ijesaland.
The paramount ruler of Ijesaland had ordered the prohibition of the idea of traders and artisans being forced to join associations in Ijesaland.
Oba Aromolaran gave the order, through a radio announcement as part of the efforts to reduce the prices of food, commodities and services in his domain. The order was part of the resolutions adopted by Owa Obokun, his High Chiefs and major stakeholders.
According to the announcement, imposition of association membership of any kind on traders and artisans is prohibited in Ijesaland, particularly in Atakumosa market and the Sabo-Irojo Monday market, Ilesa, as every legal trader from other communities, towns or states can trade freely.
In the announcement Oba Adekunle Aromolaran urged any seller, trader or artisan who felt threatened while selling their goods or rendering their services in Ilesa to inform any of the high chiefs, community leaders or security agents.
Activating this order, the task force has been moving from one market to the other, seizing fake measurements and placing curses on those who manipulate their wares to cheat buyers.
Recently, the enforcement task team, which was composed of the High Chiefs of Ogboni, Odole, Oba Odo, Loro, Arapate, Yeyerise, Iyaloja, and Atakumosa Market, among others, also ordered vendors to employ appropriate customer service practices, threatening to hold violators accountable.
During the raid, the taskforce also took dozens of fake modules from certain traders and cursed everyone who would engage in fraud going forward.
The team issued roadside vendors, including those at the popular Ilesa roundabout and Adeti, a three-day ultimatum to move to the main market in accordance with the Owa’s mandate, and barred them from selling their wares there.
The taskforce recommended that pepper vendors offer in lesser quantities rather than the N500 per unit that is currently the standard. The sellers are anticipated to charge as little as N200 per item in accordance with the directive.
The Oba Odo of Ilesa, High Chief Busuyi Gbadamosi, stated in an interview that the exercise was a response to the Owa’s proclamation prohibiting the use of fictitious modules and banning merchants associations for traders in Ijesaland.
A day after visiting Atakunmosa market, the task force moved to Sabo market and charged all the heads of markets (Iyalojas and Babalojas) across the land to arrest any trader shortchanging unsuspecting buyers in their jurisdiction and take them to the police for prosecution.
Oba Adekunle Aromolaran maintained that he would not rest on his oars until the mischiefs at the main markets in Ijesaland do the needful and comply with his directive which prohibits the use of fake measures, display of wares on major roads and exploitative trader associations’ activities.
The task force led by the Owa in council engaged law enforcement agents and local vigilante to seize a large number of fake modules in the market and dislodge those obstructing traffic flow at the popular Ilesa roundabout.
Recall that the state governor, Ademola Adeleke has disclosed his endorsement of the measures being taken by traditional rulers to control price of food items and restore sanity to market activities in the state.