TALES
OF AKIODE MARKET
THE MARKET
WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND SOCIAL STATUS- YOUNG AND OLD,
RICH AND POOR IS AS BUSY AS THE GARAGE ITSELF, WITH FEW SHOPS AND MULTIPLE
SHADES OF PRETTY TRADERS. ITS OFFERS VERITIES OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
THE TATTERED
MARKET ROAD IS NOT A WELCOMING SIGHT TO BEHOLD, YET TRADERS STILL FIND COMFORT
TO SELL THEIR GOOD COMFORTABLY. THE STENCH OF THE HUGE REFUSE CLOSE TO THE
GUTTER CAN SEIZE THE BREATH OF A SOUL.
CUSTOMERS AND
POTENTIAL BUYERS ARE ALWAYS INCONVENIENCED BY THE PARKED BUSES AND TRICYCLES IN
THE MARKET, YET ACTIVITIES IN THE MARKET KEEPS MOVING LIKE EVER BEFORE. THE
MARKET HARBOURS SHOP TRADERS, ABOKIS AND ROAD SIDE PETTY TRADERS.
SPEAKING WITH
A FISH SELLER EBERE OMOH; SHE BARED HER MIND ON THE POOR STATE OF THE MARKET. “TRADING FOR US HERE IN THIS MARKET IS NOT
EASY, DUE TO THE FACT WE HAVE TO JUGGLE BETWEEN THE BUSY PARK OCCUPIED BY
COMMUTERS, THE ROUGH TERRAIN OF THE ROADS AND THEFT CASES. “ SHE SAID.
“ALTHOUGH , OVER THE YEARS WE HAD CONTRIBUTED MONEY
TO THE CHAIRMAN TO HELP US RESTRUCTURE
AND PROFFER LASTING SOLUTION TO THE POOR ROADS AND TIGHT SPACE IN THE
MARKET, BUT ALL WE HERE IS STORY.” OBVIOUSLY, MARKET SELLERS ARE NOT FINDING IT EASY TRADING HERE AT NIGHT
BUT ALL WHAT WOULD THEY DO IF THEY DON’T TRADE.
THE POOR STATE
OF THIS MARKET CALLS FOR AN URGENT ATTENTION FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CHAIRMAN. LEFT WITH NO CHOICE, THE PEOPLE OF AKIODE MARKET CONSTANTLY BREATHE
IN UNHEALTHY ODOUR THAT COMES FROM THE HUGE REFUSE DUMP.
AKIODE MARKET
OPERATES DURING DAY TIME BUT FUNCTIONS MORE AT NIGHT. LARGE PEOPLE TRUNK THE
MARKET TO PURCHASE HOME NEEDS AND OTHER STUFF.
ONE MAJOR,
DISTINGUISHING FACTOR OF AKIODE NIGHT MARKET FROM OTHER NIGHT IS STRONG
COMMUNITY SUPPORT OF THE TRADERS. TRADERS OF AKIODE MARKET COMBINED RESOURCES
TO ACQUIRE A MASSIVE GENERATING SET TO POWER SHOPS AND LIT THE BULBS OF PETTY
TRADERS’ SHADES IN THE MARKET.
THE MARKET IS
RETATIVELY FREE OF SOCIAL VICES. SHEDDING MORE LIGHT ON THIS A MARKET TRADER,
ANU OLUWAPO SAID THAT HOODLUMS ONLY FLOCK AROUND THE MARKET BUT DO NOT CARRY
ENGAGE IN VIOLET ACT AROUND AKIODE MARKET.
“AKIODE MARKET IS WELL SECURED AND AS SUCH WE ARE
NOT DISTURBED OR BOTHERED BY TOUTS” SHE ADDED. SHE FURTHER DISCLOSED THAT THE ONLY CHALLENGE FACING TRADERS
IN THE MARKET IS SMALL TRADING SPACE AND DIRTS LITTERED AROUND THE MARKET.
HOWEVER, SHE
SAID “WE HAVE LAID OUR COMPLAINS TO THE
APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES TO HELP US MANAGE THE WASTE BIN FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE
PROBLEM OF INADEQUATE TRADING SPACE”.