There is a palpable tension mounting in the Spare parts market of Akure, the Ondo state capital, over the leadership crisis that has engulfed the market, with the traders calling on authorities to intervene before the matter assumed a dangerous dimension.
The crisis in the market was as a result of alleged imposition of the Chairman of the Spare parts market located at Ilesa Garage, Kayode Olorunfemi, by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, saying the Chairman had been at helms of affairs for the past eleven years.
Subsequently, some traders of the market protested on Monday morning, over what they termed “imposition of the Chairman” by Oba Aladelusi by the protesting traders.
Armed with placards of various inscriptions, the traders called on the authorities to wade into the crisis by removing the Chairman, saying he had been installed as the traditional leader of the market and should relinquish the Chairmanship position after forcefully staying in office for eleven years.
Speaking on behalf of the protesting traders, Kole Amueyinoge, said “we are tired of the continued imposition of Kayode Olorunfemi on us. We have dragged him before Deji of Akure who appealed to us to give him 12 months to wind up his tenure.
According to him, the embattled chairman refused to vacate office despite spending eleven years, adding that the traditional ruler was aiding crisis in the market by insisting that the embattled chairman should continue in office.
“We also visited the local government authorities who organized a peace meeting with the traders and we all signed a peace accord with Kayode promising to vacate the seat last December, while an interim Committee was put in place.
“We are surprised to learn that the Committee has been halted not to conduct an election until further notice and Kayode should continue as our Chairman.
“We will resist Kayode to lead the traders in Mojere market, he has caused more atrocities in the market. The Deji of Akure had installed him as the Asoju Oba in the market and should step aside from contesting for the Chairmanship position.
“The Deji of Akure should not meddle into the leadership of the market as we pay directly to the local government. The local government is in charge of the market and we have informed them.
The traders however, appealed to the state governor and security agencies to wade into the matter before the matter assumed another dimension.
In his reaction, the embattled Chairman, Olorunfemi described the protesting traders as lazy bones, just as he maintained that he remains the Chairman of the spare parts market.
He explained that there was no crisis in the market but said those protesting are sponsored thugs who have no business in the market, saying “I am not bothered by their noise, those making noise are not traders in the market. I decided to stay off the market in order not to disrupt the peace in the market”.
While reacting to the allegation of imposition, the palace, through the Chief Press Secretary to Deji of Akure, Mr. Michael Adeyeye, said though the market is a traditional market but said the traditional ruler of Akure has no special interest in any of the candidates jostling for the leadership of the market.
According to him, the traders had visited the palace to complain about the development and a caretaker committee that will steer the affairs of the market had been put in place before the election.
Adeyeye said, “the Deji of Akure only installed a traditional leader in the market and not Chairman. He waded into the crisis and a caretaker Committee was set up to conduct an election.
“But the Committee realized that most traders who traveled during the last Christmas and new year period have not returned and they have to postpone the election till March this year.”
However, a source at the Akure south local government said the market is owned and controlled by the council contrary to claims by the palace.
The source said the local government authority had disbanded Kayode’s committee and set up another to oversee the running of the market and conduct a fresh election.