Professor Adeolu Akande, chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Monday afternoon visited the burnt Araromi spare part market, Agodi, Ibadan.
The market, it would be recalled, had been razed by a midnight inferno penultimate week, with traders losing millions of naira.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain donated one trailer load of cement, promising to use his connection to facilitate support to ensure completion of the market as well as financial assistance to the affected traders.
Akande, a professor of comparative politics and director of the Centre for Presidential Studies, at the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, who was accompanied by friends and political associates which included a former secretary to the state government, Alhaji Waheed Olajide, former commissioner for justice, Mr. Mutalubi Ojo, Arc. Niyi Oyekunle, Chief Wale Arowomole, members of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Muideen Olagunju, and others, said that he was pained by the traders’ loss.
Making the donation, the Otu-born politician, who was warmly received by market leaders and traders, said “I feel your pain. We always pray against something like this but when it happens, there is nothing we can do than to show sympathy, assist you and use our connection to facilitate other relief materials.
“I received the news of the incident with utter shock. I am yet to process the consequences of the incident of the lives of the families of the hundreds of traders affected.
“Inferno of this magnitude is too much to bear for you alone. I believe there is little influential individuals can do to assist compare to what government can offer,” Akande said.
Speaking with newsmen after the visit, he urged the Seyi Makinde administration to provide palliatives for victims of the incident as soon as possible to reduce the impact of the lost properties.
This was just as he also advise Makinde to take proactive steps to ensure future fire incidents in the state can be curtailed within the shortest possible period.
He noted that the frequency of fire outbreaks and violence in the markets across the state is indicative of underlying crisis that the government should address and rectify.
Akande noted that markets are not only supposed to serve traders and the public for the exchange of goods and services. They should be places of comfort for traders and their customers through the availability of conveniences and provisions for easy evacuation of traders and customers in moments of crisis.
He implored Makinde to also addresses the plalnlessnesss that characterize many markets in the state, a situation that makes it practically impossible for emergency services to be provided for traders on occasions of emergency.
“Government should move away from seeing the markets only as avenues for collection of levies. They should be handled as centres of development through which government can reach our teeming population with the provision of water, conveniences, security, healthcare services and security”, he concluded.
Ex-SSG and Attorney General, Olajide and Ojo, who took turns to speak, commended Akande, for the initiative, imploring the traders to always repay kindness with kindness.
Baale of the market, Chief Ewebiyi Adegoke, commended Akande for the gesture, praying that all his desires will be met.
