Hausa traders, Iba LCDA at war over Alaba Rago market

Traders at the popular Alaba Rago International Market in Lagos have rejected the planned development of the market by the Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA). Our correspondent reports that the plan by the LCDA to develop the market has generated tension and mixed feelings among traders in the market. A stakeholders’ meeting called this […]

Traders at the popular Alaba Rago International Market in Lagos have rejected the planned development of the market by the Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Our correspondent reports that the plan by the LCDA to develop the market has generated tension and mixed feelings among traders in the market.

A stakeholders’ meeting called this week by the LCDA authorities ended in a stalemate as leaders and stakeholders of the market rejected the planned development.

Alaba Rago market is predominantly populated by Hausa-Fulani traders, with a mix of other traders selling different kinds of items in the market.

The Hausa-Fulani traders are appealing to the LCDA authorities to allow them continue the development of the market, which they claimed to have been doing over the last 40 years.

The Serikin Hausawa of the market, Alhaji Mustapha Sokoto, requested the Council to hand over the market’s development plan to his members, and assured they would execute it according to specifications.

Sokoto feared most of the Hausa-traders would not be able to afford the cost of the new set of shops and stalls the Council intends to build once the old market the traders are occupying is demolished.

The spokesman of the Hausa-Fulani traders, Alhaji Adamu Katagum, stressed that the traders had settled for decades in the market and invested heavily in its development.

He said, “We have been developing this place for a long time and we will not stop developing it. What we want is for the LCDA to hand over the development plan to us and we will follow the plan to the latter.”

Chairman of the Iba LCDA, Mrs Rahmat-Rachael Oseni, who made a presentation of the 3-D plan for the new Alaba Rago market, said her predecessors started the project to give the market a face-lift.

She solicited the cooperation of the traders, whom she assured shops would be made affordable to in the new market being proposed.

Unconvinced, the Hausa-Fulani traders insisted they would rather develop the market themselves.