Traders from across Oyo state under the auspices of Babaloja-Generals and Iyaloja-Generals from all the five zones in Oyo state on Wednesday asked the state government to stop Alhaji Y.K Abass- from parading himself as the Babaloja-General of the state.
Speaking through the Babaloja – General of Oke Ogun, Alhaji Whaab Adebayo Elesin at an emergency meeting by the concerned elders and well attended by markets leaderships from the five Zones in the state in Ibadan, the traders described the purported action of Alhaji Y. K. Abass as “unethical and insult to over two million market men and women in Oyo State.”
According to Alhaji Elesin , it was embarrassing that Alhaji Abass ” is still parading himself as Babaloja-General of Oyo State”, adding, ” it is shameful and a reflection of ignoble and degenerating society.”
” I have not seen where a man who hasn’t 1% of a population of over 2 million men and women is forced on the majority. Y. K. Abass and his conspirators are just minute in number, they can’t burgle our association with our eyes widely open. We are ready to resist the antics of the manipulators whose intention is to cause disunity among traders and force our people to troop out in protest against injustice,” he said.
Alhaji Adebayo Elesin added, “as you can see, not just representatives but Babaloja-Generals and Iyaloja-Generals from the five zones in Oyo state are here, we have market leaderships from Oke-Ogun, Babaloja-General, Alhaji Whaab Adebayo Elesin, Iyaloja-General Oke-Ogun, Alhaja Limota Whaab, Iyaloja-General Oyo Alaafin, Alhaja Khadijat Adepeju Bakare, Babaloja-General Ogbomosoland, Mr. OLUSEGUN Akangbe Joseph, Iyaloja-General of Ogbomosoland, Alhaja Rafat Morenike Wahab, Babaloja-General of Ibarapaland, Elder Ayandeji Olusola and Iyaloja-General of Ibarapaland, who is also the Acting Iyaloja-General of Oyo State, Chief Mrs Justina Iyabode Ogundoyin.
“Traders, market men and women from the zones listed above along with our members from the 11 local governments in Ibadan gathered at the House of Chiefs, Agodi in Ibadan last year to elect Alhaji Sunmaila Aderemi Jimoh as the Babaloja-General of Oyo State. Nothing has changed till this moment. He remains the authentic, let inferior be returned to factory for proper assessment and undergo normal process”.
He stressed further, “let me also add this, prior to his emergence as Babaloja-General of Oyo State, Alhaji Sunmaila Aderemi Jimoh was the Babaloja-General for the markets 11 local government councils in Ibadanland”, saying, “we won’t accept any act of aberration or action that’s morally condemnable to override our decision to liberate our noble association from the hijackers, busy bodies and political rats as they have done to other professional bodies, unions and associations.
Also, while addressing traders at the meeting, the Acting Iyaloja-General of Oyo State, Chief Mrs Justina Iyabode Ogundoyin called on the government and other relevant authorities to call Y. K. Abass to order”, saying, “he is not known to us as a leader of any of our market units, not to talk about local government, therefore, he lacked qualification for a position of Babaloja-General of Oyo State”
“I appreciate everyone’s concern on Alhaji Y. K. Abass issue and I’m assuring you that our collective decisions would be respected and protected.We are working seriously with the national body, moreso that the Southwest coordinator, Chief (Mrs.) Odunayo Danjuma is solidly on ground and already leading the cause, we shall end the activities of the intruders soonest,” she said.
