By Monsuru Olowoopejo

The Ikeja Local Government Council, has issued a 60-day ultimatum to traders of the controversial Alade Market to vacate the market, to allow the commencement of re-development of the market.

Alade market

The ultimatum was issued at a stakeholder’s forum held at the council secretariat, where all parties agreed to relocate from the market on or before October, 2015.

Also a 16-man committee, representing all stakeholders was constituted. The committee headed by the Deputy Executive Secretary, Prince Oluranti Olufon, was saddled with the responsibilities to ensure relocation of the traders.

The Executive Secretary, of the council, Mr. Adekunle Adeokun presided over the stakeholders’ meeting where all parties agreed to relocate from the market to allow commencement of re-development.

According Adeokun, “We have waited for five years. We agreed to build 200 more shops to accommodate all legal traders in the alternative market. We plan to reconstruct two roads to avoid traffic congestion in the area within the time frame. We have agreed to build a bridge that enables customers and traders to enter and exit the market from Oregun Road.”

However, the executive secretary pointed out that few concerned traders “are still resisting our plan to re-develop Alade Market to the true status of Africa’s model megacity despite all we have put in place to ensure their successful relocation.”

Adeokun explained that the council had already directed all the owners of shops and concerned traders “to quit within a period of two months.

The concerned traders are not owners of shops in the market. They simply rent shops from the shop owners. So, they cannot stop us from re-developing the Alade Market.

Managing Director of Master Reality Int’l Concepts Limited (the concessionaire), Mr. Lai Omotola said the government “has given 60-day extension for the traders to vacate the market. The deadline will elapse on  October 7  and all the traders, except few concerned ones, have agreed to relocate to their new market.”

Omotola added that the Iyaloja-General of the Association of Market Women and Men, Mrs. Shade Tinubu-Ojo after a meeting  last Thursday, pleaded with the concessionaire “to make the alternative market habitable and comfortable for all the traders.’’