Deji of Akure begs market women to reduce food prices

The Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi alongside the Deji-in-council has appealed to foodstuff sellers in Akure  to immediately cut down the high cost of food stuff in the state capital and its environ. The Deji appealed for the slash in prices of these commodities at his palace after an […]

The Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi alongside the Deji-in-council has appealed to foodstuff sellers in Akure  to immediately cut down the high cost of food stuff in the state capital and its environ.

The Deji appealed for the slash in prices of these commodities at his palace after an exhaustive meeting with the leadership of the various groups of foodstuff sellers in Akure.

A statement signed by his spokesman, Adeyeye Michael said the call came after the monarch commissioned a recent market survey of some foodstuffs like rice, palm oil, groundnut oil, garri among others in major communities across some states in the southwest.

“The palace found out that prices of rice, garri, palm oil were too exorbitant in Akure when compared with these other cities, making them almost the highest in the whole of south-west,” it said.

Oba Ogunlade expressed displeasure at the astronomical rates at which foodstuffs were being sold in Akure compared with other neighbouring towns.

“It is so sad that the prices of commodities have been unnecessarily hiked in Akure with no justifiable reason. This is unfair and totally unacceptable” Oba Aladetoyinbo said.

According to him, considering the present economic hardship in the country, the palace could not continue to watch its people die in hunger and pains due to needless hike in price of the basic needs of life which is food.

He said with the market survey carried out by the palace, it was glaring that the situation in Akure was becoming unbearable for families and things may go worse if not quickly checked.

“I wonder why a bag of rice will be sold for between N21,000 and N23,000, 20 litres of palm oil now sells for between N20,000 and N21,500, a rubber of garri now sells for N200, when other communities sell same for N16,000, N10,000 and N100 respectively” the monarch said.

The monarch informed the market men and women of the need to immediately cut down the prices of some essential food stuff.

After careful deliberation between the Kabiyesi and the various market leaders, it was decided that of the price of rice which was being sold at an average of N21, 000 should now be N19,000 in the survey areas.

After much plea from the palm oil and garri sellers in Akure, the Deji agreed with them to rever commodity prices in one week as it is being sold in all adjoining communities.

The Oba also set up a task force to monitor the situation and ensure strict compliance with the agreement made with the sellers.

He sought for the quick recovery of the nation’s economy urging President Mohammadu Buhari to also do something to alleviate the suffering and hunger in the land.