Edo Traders Cry Out Over Alleged Denial Of Renovated Oba Market Shops

Traders in Oba Market, Benin City, Edo State, on Friday embarked on a peaceful protest to appeal to Governor Monday Okpebholo to prevail on Oredo Local Government Council Chairman, Gabriel Iduseri to reallocate their shops back to them after its renovation.

The Oba Market was razed by fire on June 22, 2026, and was in a dilapidated state until the current government assumed office in 2024 and embarked on a first phase renovation.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters who matched through the Oba Market, King Square, Airport Road, Ezoti Street to the Government House, GRA, a shop owner at the market, Okeaya Inneh, said they were happy when the Edo State government started the renovation, but unfortunately after the renovation, Oredo Council Chairman Under which the market is has refused to give back their jobs to them.

He said, “We were happy when the governor came to our rescue to rebuild the market back to rescue. Now, he rebuilt the market for us, for the affected traders. Now, the Oredo Council Chairman said we don’t have stores there anymore.

“So, that’s why we are crying to the governor to let him know what is going on. That the Oredo Council has sold out our store to other people. So, that’s why we are protesting down to the governor’s house.”

When asked by our correspondent if they have an interface with the council boss, the trader said, “Yes, we have. We went to him several times to dialogue with him, he refused to dialogue with us. He declined us several times. So, we don’t have anything to do other than to cry to our honorable governor.”

Also speaking, another shop owner in the market, Sarah Sadoh, while thanking the governor for giving the market a new phase, appealed to him to reopen the renovated market so that they can keep their items there, lamenting rain and sun have damaged many of the items they sell.

She pleaded, “We are here to beg him so that he will help us to open the place. I mean the portion that has been renovated inside the market so that we can go in. The sun and the rain is too much and our goods are wasted. That is why we are marching to the government’s house for protest, peaceful protest. Not for fight, not for quarrel. That he will help us.”

Reacting, the council chairman, Gabriel Iduseri, described the protesters as people who do not own shops there but were selling second hand clothes in front of different shops before the fire incident, and after renovation wanted to own shops suddenly.

He said, “His Excellency has directed that the shops should be returned to the original trustees. And who are the trustees, they are the people who rented shops with us, and have their papers to that effect.

“So, the people you see protesting are not owners, they are traders who are tenants to shop owners. Shop owners gave the front of their shops to sell second hand items, and over the years, the trustees, that is the shops owners have been complaining that this set of persons have refused to pay them for the portion they rented out to them.”