Victims Of Oja-Oba Market Inferno Seek Help

Yusuf Oketola

VICTIMS of Tuesday’s inferno that razed nine shops at the popular Oja-Oba market, along Ibokun road in Osogbo, State of Osun, have sought for assistance from the government and individuals in the state.

The market is mainly occupied by herb sellers.

Some of the victims who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER after the incident recounted their ordeal and called for help from both the state government and well-meaning Nigerians.

One of the victims, Ishola Olalekan, said his shop was razed and that wares including herbs, animal skins, cowries, among other native items were destroyed.

Olalekan said: “The fire started at about 1:00am, but my attention was called to it at about 3:00am. A vigilante who was watching the market discovered the fire and raised the alarm.

“My shop is part of those that got burnt. I sell animal skin, cowries, and other things that have been prepared for my customers. There are items I sell to foreigners and I have like 12 of them prepared and each of them costs N130,000, apart from the cowries and animal skin that I haven’t used. There was a soap there I prepared which was ordered from Brazil.

“All the items that got destroyed cost more than N100 million in that market. We thank the firefighters for arriving at the scene on time. We want government to assist us.”

Babalola Oyebode, a provision seller whose shop was not affected, said the fire destroyed properties and goods worth several millions of naira.

Oyebode said: “The fire started from one of the shops before it spread to the others. A total of nine shops were burnt before the fire service arrived. I think the fire was caused by an electricity surge.”

Another victim of the inferno, Mrs Serifat Amoo, appealed to the government to help them to rebuild their shops and support them in raising capital to start again.

Spokesperson for the Fire Service in the state, Ibrahim Adekunle, who confirmed the incident, said several properties were destroyed before the arrival of his officials who got to the scene three minutes after they were informed.

Adekunle, who did not disclose the cause of the incident said: “The fire started some hours before the men of Osun State Fire Service, Oke-fia Station, were informed through one Mr. Oyedele Muftau, who visited our station.”

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the state, who visited the scene to commiserate with the shop owners, directed that one of the affected buildings be pulled down.

The incident occurred five days after a midnight fire gutted two warehouses around Alekuwodo in Osogbo.