'We align with Soun's vision of devpt,' Alaaje Ologo says, as land allocated to traders

Image caption: From left: Alaaje, Onitapa (Oba Sikiru Alao9 and an Aaje elder

‘We align with Soun’s vision of devpt,’ Alaaje Ologo says, as land allocated to traders

Abdulrazak BELLO

Alaaje of Aaje-Ologo a suburb of Ogbomoso North local government area of Oyo state, HRH Reuben Adesina Amao JP DSS rtd, has reiterated his commitment to the developmental vision of His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III the Soun of Ogbomosoland.

Alaaje made this disclosure Saturday at the allocation-of-land exercise to prospective traders at the newly inaugurated Aaje-Ologo Wazobia Market.

The market, which is an idea he conceived and he is driving to fruition he stated is to bring market closer to the residents of Aaje with a view to cutting down the prices of goods.

“We are committed to the 25 year-development plan of His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, the Soun. Kabiyesi is our light and we are bound to follow in the path he charts. He has convincingly shown he is passionate about developing Ogbomosoland as we are already beholding the results,” Oba Amao said.

“At Aaje-Ologo we key into his vision, that is why we are establishing this market to improve commerce and the economy of the area. If you are a follower and you have a great leader it will be to your advantage you follow in his footsteps. That is why we align with Oba Ghandi’s initiatives. If you look at it, Aaje-Ologo is centrally placed in this axis, it is between Ikose and Pakiotan and other communities surround it so it is a market that has potentials.

“It will be an all-purpose market especially for food items. When activities begin in the market our people will spend less because instead of travelling to Ogbomoso metropolis incurring transport fare the goods will be at their beck and call. That is what we envision and we invite people from outside our community to patronise the market. It will be a five-day market when it fully begins, it will be the day after Yanyan Market day.”

Ogbomoso Insight reported forms for land allocation had been made available weeks ago and over 100 persons had already collected the forms.

“We allocated land space today so commercial activities can commence in earnest,” Alaaje added.

A surveyor, Ayinla Simeon Olaleye, was on ground to supervise the allocation with the allottees full of enthusiasm. “We have been alloted space, we will bring goods to sell here,” a trader who identified herself as Hafsat Ajoke told ogbomosoinsightonline.com.

Surveyor Olaleye informed the market would have a central depot, toilet and individual stalls and shops and other facilities.

Also, Muhammed Fahad Bala, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) chairman in Oyo state, and who is deputy chairman of Aaje Wazobia Market, eulogized HRH Amao for the initiative submitting many traders had been contacted including Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Igbo traders to bring goods to the market. Dry fish, yam, cassava, tomato, even spare parts and so on are some of the goods we proposed will be sold in the market.

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Alaaje re-affirmed, “It is a market for widows, orphans and the vulnerable. Our aim is always to give them good life by assisting them. I worked across Nigeria when in service (Department of State Service DSS) and so l am familiar with a lot of people across the country and many of them assisted me. I also lived in Kumasi Ghana so l want people whose origins are these places to come and trade and patronise the market. I want to see dokunnu and so on sold also.”

The Saturday event was preceded by a seminar on market principles and strategies.

Many people who spoke with Ogbomoso Insight lauded Alaaje for the market and his other initiatives.