Oyo traders demand action on uncompleted shop project

Market women at the historic Gbagi Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, protested on Monday over the alleged abandonment of a shop reconstruction project. They said they each paid N2 million for new shops that are not finished.

The protesters carried signs and asked Governor Seyi Makinde to step in and make the contractor finish the work. Some of the signs read, “Seyi Makinde, build our shop in Gbagi,” and “Ati san owo, Seyi Makinde pelu Hamex Hamed Ebawa ko shop wa.”

This issue started back in 2025 when the Oyo State Government began a plan to redevelop the market. Since the project began, traders have raised concerns about the demolition of their shops, being displaced, turning motor parks into shops, and the prices asked for the replacement shops.

On Monday, 86-year-old trader Adegoke Funke spoke to our reporter. She asked the contractor to come back and finish the shops, noting that the traders paid the agreed amount. “He should come and complete our shop. We have given him all the N2 million,” she said.

Another trader, Oladapo Eunice, shared how the demolition of the old shops on January 3 left many traders struggling. “Since January 3, the old buildings have been demolished. Since then, we have been struggling. Some people took loans to pay the money, while some are already sick,” she said.

Eunice mentioned that nearly all the affected traders paid N2 million each but were now told that this amount only covered the construction completed so far. “We agreed on N2 million, and everyone has paid. If there is anyone who has not paid, it will only be a few. This morning, they told us this was where our N2 million stopped.

“My shop was not as small as this before, but we accepted it because they presented themselves as the government. We don’t understand how Seyi Makinde allowed Ahmed to make us suffer,” Eunice said.

Trader Mrs. Balogun Abibat explained that the amount they initially agreed on for the shops changed several times before they finally paid N2 million each. “We had an agreement for N1.6 million. They told us in January to vacate the shops, promising to help us rebuild them. After two to three months, they changed the amount to N5 million and N7 million. When we went to the Secretariat, the amount was reduced to N2 million.

“We have paid that, and this is where they stopped building the shops. We expected them to finish the work, but they are telling us that this is where our money got to. We had an agreement; why do they want to change it? We are all women; why are they making us suffer?” she asked.

Balogun added that the traders have been exposed to the sun and rain while waiting for the shops to be completed. Some traders have not been able to open their businesses for days because of health issues. She also called on the governor to intervene and push the contractor to finish the job.

Similarly, Mrs. Olawunmi Ogunyinka said traders were first asked to pay N1.6 million each, but the amount went up to N5 million after their shops were demolished. She said the matter was taken to the state secretariat, where the price was reduced to N2 million in February.

“On January 3, they demolished the shops. Before then, there was an agreement that we would pay N1.6 million for the replacement shops. After the demolition, he said the amount was N5 million. We went to the Secretariat, and it was agreed in February that we would pay N2 million. The governor intervened on our behalf again,” she said.

Ogunyinka questioned the project's cost, saying the traders could have built the shops for much less. “If we build the shops ourselves, we would not spend more than N400,000, considering their sizes. They asked us to pay N2 million and have now said that the money only covered the uncompleted buildings. This is not right. They should return and complete the work they started,” she said.

The traders are urging the state government to step in and ensure the reconstruction project is finished so they can return to their shops and start their businesses again.

When we reached out, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives is in charge of the project. He promised to get back to our reporter but had not done so by the time of this report.