Adeniyi Olasoji is the Babaloja of the Ikeja Computer Village Market, Lagos State. He speaks to AFEEZ HANAFI and ALEXANDER OKERE about the allegations of financial extortion against the leadership of the market, among other issues
But they insisted that we should reach out to them to pay a small amount of money. For over eight months, we have been telling the traders to pay, but they have some forces behind them. There are some people that do not agree with the administration of the Iyaloja and Babaloja. The same set of people that protested when we were about to be installed are still going about saying things that do not exist.There was no enforcement because she had not given the go-ahead.
A trader recorded a video showing some people trying to make another trader pay an undisclosed amount of money before his goods could be offloaded… The Iyaloja is a stakeholder in the community. She owns a laptop gallery and has been trading in the community for over 20 years. I am a business owner here and have lived most of my life here. If you saw them protesting, you would notice that it was the same set of persons going round and most of them don’t have shops or businesses here. We were inaugurated with the support of the landlords and tenants.The selection process is open to everybody.
What is your reaction to the allegation that you failed to give account of the N50m that accrued to the community as revenue? I will tell you the reason. The revenues come once in a year. When we exhaust the money, where do we go to? That is why they need to pay. The bank account where the money is paid to is there.