Happening Now-LAWMA Shuts Owode Market—- Traders, Artisans in Tears
Despair and frustration enveloped the entire Community of Owode Onirin in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Area of Lagos State early this morning when desperate officials of Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA descended on Agbajowo Market, Owode -Onirin and shut it completely.
It was indeed a day of dashed hope for the traders and customers which could be likened to that of Ladipo International Auto spare parts market, Mushin, Lagos which has remained shut even at the time of filing in this report.
When NEW SENTINEL visited the troubled market, most traders, sellers and artisans gathered in small groups discussing their plights.
* Scenes of despair and frustration
A young man who was fuming with anger and refused to give his name but simply said he was a motor mechanic, said he came to work this morning with the only money he had at home. He lamented the hardship, shame and frustration that he would face now that he could not access his workshop to earn his living for today.
A woman who vends prepared ‘Amala and gbegiri’ in the area said she was in a confused state as there were customers but they had no money to buy food. She said she could not sell on credit because she needed money to pay her child’s school fees who was driven home yesterday.
All efforts to get LAWMA Officials to hear their side of the story proved abortive as NEW SENTINEL learnt that they carried out the operation with the speed of lightening for fear of being attacked by irate traders, sellers and artisans.
An unconfirmed source told New Sentinel that the market is being sealed off because it did not meet sanitation requirements by Lagos State government.
