TOPE OMOGBOLAGUN writes about the market’s ancient tradition of having only women traders
She said, “The people who trade at the place are mostly women. The market is for women. It operates in such a way that it allows for division of labour. We have fishermen onshore that catch the fishes and boatmen often deliver them to us. The boat riders are like dispatch riders. “We hardly have male traders in the market. They sell elsewhere but not in the market. In fact, when we didn’t have any men trading with us, the market association decided that we should appoint the late to head the market. He used to be a fisherman before the appointment. He wasn’t trading in the market; he was only involved in administrative duties like attending to visitors, managing the people among other things.
Supporting Olukolu’s claim, the fish trader said the market started long ago and her grandparents traded there. The market also provides opportunity to learn about the culture of the Yoruba. Another trader, Mrs Sakirat Adedayo, talked aboutis best sold alive in water. Once you brought it out of water and it has a direct touch with sunlight, the fish will die early which will result into loss for traders. Also, once taken outside of its natural habitat, it wouldn’t survive for long, else the reason for selling it at the riverbank. Once it dies, people will not buy and it would be a great loss to us.
Asked why females dominate the market, she said, “We met it that way and I don’t think anything is attached to it. It’s a market that evolved and passed down from generation to generation. She said, “My mother introduced me to the market because she was the one doing the business before I took over. I am a food vendor and buy fishes, snails and other seas foods at the market. The edibles don’t have fixed prices; they depend on the availability. I have been patronising the market for over 10 years.’’The market observes division of labour in that most fisherman husbands of the traders supply fishes to their wives who in turn sell them.
My grandmother was one of the influential people in the market. Back then, whenever the fishermen needed to start a business, they would look for someone to sponsor them; like buy them equipment for fishing. Whoever sponsored them was the person they supplied fish till they finished paying the money.to be our leader. He was a fisherman and we found him to be reliable. He handled the administrative duties well before his death some weeks ago. We have yet to get a new baba oja.
“We charge from N200. For instance, if you buy a fish for N1,500, we are likely to help you clean it for N400. Also, the type of fish we clean depends on the price we charge. Fish with scales will cost more than the ones without scales. I make about N20,000 daily.”She said, “I am from Ilaje in Ondo State. That’s why the people call me Iya Ilaje. My husband is a fisherman but I don’t sell fishes. I help people to cut and clean their fishes.
Sade noted, “We buy from hunters and we sell to restaurant owners. We also sell to individuals for home cooking. There are retailers who buy from us and sell in the market.’’