Image caption: from left: Rev’d Niyi Adebayo, Iyalode and Ikolaba
Excitement as TWC’s Jesus Market opens in Ogbomoso, Soun lauds initiative, as aged persons receive cash gifts
Abdulrasak BELLO
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The first subsidized market tagged “Jesus Market” has opened in Ogbomoso, Oyo state. The trading activities on Saturday was the second edition and is an initiative of the True Worshippers Church (TWC), Oke-Aanu, with the buying and selling taking place in the church premises.
Prices of various goods are subsidized by the church and so are sold at prices lower than the normal market prices. But it is going to be a monthly market. Items on display Saturday included rice, beans, yam, palm oil, groundnut oil, clothes, shoes, stationery, cooked foods, jewelries, snacks, pepper, tomato, potato, different kinds of fish, turkey and chicken (sold in kilos) etc. There was also a health stand that attended to people’s health needs. The market was really bustling Saturday and it appears that in the future the space may become inadequate, since it is going to be monthly and planned to last till December 2024. It is stated it is to complement government in this hard time even as privileged individuals are urged to consider similar initiatives to alleviate the plight of the masses or to consider partnering with the church.
“We are doing this so we can be part of the challenges the masses are going through in the country,” Rev’d Niyi Adebayo, Lead Pastor of TWC disclosed while speaking on the rationale for the market.
He added, “I am one of them (masses) and l know how it feels to buy at exorbitant prices especially food items and some other things we use at home. And again pupils and students will resume school in a week and parents and guardians will need to buy textbooks and school bags.
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Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, represented by High Chief David Adeniran, the Ikolaba of Ogbomosoland, and High Chief Rebecca Ogundare, the Iyalode, declaring the market open Saturday, applauded the church for the initiative asserting it aligns with his 25 year development plan for Ogbomoso.
“I appreciate Pastor Adebayo and the church. This aligns with my 25 year development vision. This is one of them aimed at making life better for the people. I thank the church for introducing this market. I charge everyone to work for the development of the city and initiating different ideas. Also, I urge everyone not to be weighed down by the hardship in the land but rather to have faith things will turn around for good. Similar thing was witnessed in Samaria as recorded in the Bible but the prophet said this time tomorrow prices would crash, nobody believed it, but it turned out so. I am sure Nigeria will be better too, so, let’s persevere, let’s work hard and smartly and continue to pray. It shall be well with us.”
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The Iyalode added that the issue of boom in commercial activities in the community is paramount to Oba Ghandi, and so commended the church.
On the attribute of the market, Rev’d Adebayo disclosed, “So, all these are sold here at subsidized rates, as an instance on each piece of school bag there is a reduction of N2000 and on each bag of rice there is a reduction of N7000 so that instead of N75000 you buy at N68000, and many more like that. So, we are doing this to alleviate the suffering and challenges people are going through, it is to partner with government because we believe government cannot do everything. It is a community service and everybody is welcome to trade and buy goods here, it is non-discriminatory to religion, tribe or locality.”
“I admonish government officials, politicians, and everyone blessed of God to please start thinking of the survival of the masses, it is not easy, price of everything is skyrocketing. Well, we believe the government can do better. But let’s partner with the government, you can partner with us too, if you give us your money we can further subsidize the items and the blessings will come to you.”
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Rev’d Adebayo who recently released a video calling government’s attention to the deplorable state of roads in Ogbomoso affirmed when asked that the innovation is further to support the 25 year-development plan of Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomosoland. “It is part of it, this is our own way of partnering with Kabiyesi and every other objective individual in the community.”
He maintained, “Some people are used by God to achieve this. We did not receive money from any politician or monarch or chief. If they give us tomorrow we will collect. It is an initiative of children of God in the church, in the ministry, some in Ogbomoso and others who have left Ogbomoso, propelled by the thought that we cannot just be saying government, government, but what can we do too? Even abroad it’s not government that does everything. Even the ones government is unfolding in Nigeria do not reach those who need it, they are diverted. So, we thought what can we do to assist ourselves? We contributed among ourselves N10, 000, N20, 000, N1, 000.”
The cleric who urged the jettisoning of disruptive aspects of Ogbomoso’s histories that ignite divisions and rivalries to foster unity and development in a sermon last Sunday now restated his charge to privileged individuals, “I want to implore all the people that are blessed in the community to please put into consideration the daunting challenges of the masses, things are getting tougher by the day and we cannot just continue to pay lip service to development.
“Yes, we are talking about roads, but what about stomach infrastructure? How people can survive, not only foods, but text books, school bags; students are resuming next week, so, if they can partner us we want to do it on a larger scale to encompass more people, we can move it out of the church premises. But if you cannot partner with us do something too especially now when things are becoming unbearable, they should please consider the plight of the masses. Wherever we have the grace let’s use it to make people happy, by that we make ourselves happy.”
Hon Remi Odetomi, a three-term chairman of Ogbomoso South local government, also remarked, “I had served as local government chairman for three terms spanning six years, you see when our leaders are honest, people will enjoy, if you give people what they need they will be happy. So l am advising the politicians that are holding forte that they should try to do well for our people because our people are really suffering, real suffering, so they should have it at the back of their mind that if there is time to help the masses that time is now.”
Expressing belief the innovation will be emulated by other churches and individuals, Odetomi said, “I learned a great lesson here. A vital problem is being solved here. This should be emulated by other churches. I appreciate the church, the lead pastor and his wife and other pastors for this great innovation. It is a great example.”
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Many customers who spoke with ogbomosoinsightonline.com confirmed that they bought at lower prices with Kehinde Adeleke stating, “a bag of rice was sold for #68,000 instead of the normal #75,000, while a kongo was sold for #2,200 instead of the normal #2,700; 3 tubers of yam were sold for #3,200 instead of the normal #3,500; palm oil was sold for #5,000 instead of #6,000; 25 litres of oil was sold for #52,000; a crate of egg was sold for #3,900; a kongo of cray fish was sold for #3,500 (mall one) and #4,000 (big one).”
Mrs. Fatoba Christiana, a trader, who owns a shop at Iwagba area, also said enthusiastically, “I sell rice, beans, groundnut oil. Like beans we sell here at N2500, in the market it’s N3000; rice, N2200 here, N2700 in the market; groundnut oil N2000 in the market N1500 here.”
Mrs. Olaniyan, whose original shop is at Okelerin, disclosed, “I sell different types of fish, turkey, chicken. N600 subsidy per kilo on each item.”
Ajisegiri Oluwasegun from Soun High School area, affirmed, “I sell eggs, a crate is N4500 but here I sell at N3900.”
In all, close to two hundred persons must have thronged the market that Saturday. The next market day day is October.
Meanwhile, the event also saw all persons aged 65 years old and above being presented a sum of N10, 000 each.
With additional reports by Precious ADEDOKUN, Christopher OYEDOKUN and Isaiah OLAGUNJU (all interns)
