Respite came on the way of traders at the popular Araromi Spare parts market, Agodi Gate area in Ibadan Northeast Local Government Area of Oyo State on Saturday, as a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adeniyi Michael Akintola, commissioned ten newly reconstructed shops at the market.
GOALPOACHER NEWS recalls that the market was razed by a midnight inferno on 21 April, 2021 after electric power was restored. Chief Akintola had visited the market to commiserate with the traders who lost millions of naira to the inferno and promised to build ten new lock-up shops to ameliorate their plight.
While speaking on Saturday at the market, Akintola said, “well, when I went there like every patriotic citizen of Ibadan to inspect the level of damage, many people do not know that the market stretches from the prison area down to old Ife Road. The victims complained of hunger, neglect and other things. They told me that Governor Seyi Makinde had given them a sum of N50 million and I told them I wasn’t going to give them any amount because I don’t believe in giving people fishes but will teach you how to fish.”
“In fairness to the Governor, he wanted to build the shops for them but the people requested for money and I told them that I am aversed to such style. So, the leadership of the market came to my house, I asked them to show me a portion where I can build ten lock-up shops. I am going to build it for and equip them with toilet facilities.”
“I awarded the contract myself, I didn’t give them the money, down to the least labour, I employed so that there wouldn’t be room for any shoddy job. I employed the site engineer that was supervising the work, you can see that the structure is quite different from the regular shops you see around including the doors, I ensured that quality materials were used.”
“I believe that if my compatriots in town can emulate this, I don’t believe in impoverishing people. I want them to be able to live and fend for themselves.
“I am not a feudalist, only a feudalist believes in stomach infrastructure so as to compromise your mind and screw your brain. These were the things that motivated me to build the shops for them, just to assist them to get back on their feet and to change the narrative and to tell our compatriots especially the political gladiators who have one or two things to do that giving people garri and rice is not the way to go in fighting against poverty. We must be able to empower them to be able to fend for themselves.”
Speaking on behalf of the traders, the vice-chairman, Kazeem Olaide appreciated Chief Akintola for the laudable projects and prayed God to God grant his heart desires. The event was attended by religious leaders from Christian and Muslim wings.
