…call for dissolution of ‘Babaloja-in-Council’
Coalition of traders under the umbrella of the Agitators for the Rights of Traders in Nigeria has issued a stern warning to the Oyo State Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, urging him to desist from what it described as “undue interference and administrative overreach” in the internal affairs of traders’ associations across the state.
The group maintained that the commissioner lacks the statutory, constitutional and administrative authority to meddle in the leadership, operational framework, hierarchy and internal governance of traders’ unions and market associations.
According to the group, the commissioner should remain focused on the mandates of his office as prescribed by the constitutional and administrative responsibilities attached to his appointment, rather than becoming entangled in matters they insist fall strictly within the jurisdiction of traders’ associations and, where disputes arise, the competent courts of law.
The traders’ rights advocates stressed that any disagreements, leadership tussles or administrative conflicts within market bodies are legal and organizational matters already subjected to judicial scrutiny.
“The authority to determine, interpret or resolve disputes within traders’ associations rests exclusively with courts of competent jurisdiction, which have already been approached on these matters,” the statement noted.
The group explained that the relative restraint exercised by several leaders of traders’ associations concerning the commissioner’s alleged actions should not be mistaken for weakness or acquiescence.
According to them, such restraint is informed by ongoing litigation and, significantly, by respect for Governor Seyi Makinde, whose administration they acknowledged for implementing trader-friendly initiatives and policies beneficial to market stakeholders in Oyo State.
The statement further recalled that traders across the state demonstrated unwavering support for Governor Makinde during the 2023 governorship election, even amid alleged political attempts by influential interests to sway market communities against his re-election bid.
However, the group accused certain actors within the current administration of allegedly exploiting the twilight phase of government to foment division and undermine the fragile stability within traders’ organizations.
Questioning the rationale behind the inauguration of the controversial “Babaloja-in-Council,” the group demanded clarity on the legal basis and representative legitimacy of the body.
“If this council is not a statutory government institution, what precisely is the commissioner’s role in inaugurating it? Are traders’ associations government departments answerable to political office holders? On what constitutional or organizational authority was the ‘Babaloja-in-Council’ constituted, and whom exactly does it represent when critical traders’ association blocs and market leadership clusters were neither consulted nor adequately represented?” the statement queried.
The group also leveled allegations against Alhaji Y.K. Abass, accusing him of pursuing personal political interests rather than serving as a genuine representative of traders’ collective aspirations.
According to the organization, Abass allegedly lacks broad-based support among traders in Oyo State and has continued to rely on political patronage and government backing to sustain what they described as a disputed leadership position.
They contended that his emergence was not the product of a transparent electoral process conducted by traders themselves but rather an appointment allegedly imposed against popular preference.
The group further referenced previous legal proceedings surrounding his leadership status, claiming that judicial pronouncements had earlier invalidated his appointment, while alleging that subsequent government recognition was secured through political influence rather than democratic legitimacy.
The traders’ rights body argued that political affiliations and market leadership should remain institutionally separate to avoid conflict of interest, insisting that traders should not be reduced to instruments for advancing individual political ambitions.
They emphasized that the majority of traders are independent entrepreneurs and business owners whose priorities remain commerce, enterprise and economic survival, not partisan patronage or transactional political inducements.
Consequently, the group declared that the “Babaloja-in-Council,” reportedly inaugurated with the involvement of the Commissioner for Trade and Investment and Alhaji Y.K. Abass, lacks legitimacy and should be dissolved immediately.
The organization also expressed dissatisfaction with the continued recognition accorded to Abass by the Oyo State Government as Babaloja-General of Oyo State, despite what it described as unresolved legitimacy concerns, leadership disputes and a reported vote of no confidence passed against him.
In conclusion, the group called on Alhaji Y.K. Abass to cease presenting himself as the authentic Babaloja-General of Oyo State, warning that continued claims to the title could attract legal consequences.
The group’s main agitation is the need for adherence to due process, institutional independence, and respect for the democratic rights of traders to determine their leadership and organizational future.
