If feelers reaching us are anything to go by, then Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja general, has fallen short of expectations from all members of the Market Men and Women Association in Lagos.
It should be recalled that Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu (Jagaban) became the Iyaloja general following the demise of her grandmother and predecessor, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.
However, it appears that there has been General dissatisfaction over the way she runs things and has been tagged a tyrant and oppressor by some of the market traders. She equally has been accused of being corrupt and act wickedly irrespective of whose ox is gored. Recently she was accused of sending some of her dreadful thugs to beat up the Babaloja mercilessly over his complaints on the deteriorating condition of the association that is at the brink of collapse under her oppressive rule. As if that was not enough, at another instance; she sent her thugs to also beat up the Iyaloja of mile12, Alhaja Iyabowale.
“These are some of the injustice and oppression we have been facing in the hands of Folashade Tinubu-Ojo”, says our source who begged for anonymity. “It is devastating as the center could no longer hold due to her harsh and unthoughtful leadership. Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji was a direct opposite of Folashade . Mama was really a mother and a goddess of a kind to everyone. She held the markets in the whole of Lagos in unity and was loved by all and sundry. She was always there for us and did not condone corruption. She loved transparency and would present things the way it is supposed to be. Unlike our mother as marketers fondly call her, Folashade the present Iyaloja general swims in corruption. She had collected money from most of the Ibo people in the markets and yank off posts from the authentic owners who are mostly Yorubas”.
According to our reliable source, she was collecting around 2.5 Million to 5 Million Naira from respective posts. The source continued “Gradually she has dominated all the important posts in the markets with the Ibo guys that have money to buy them. Some of the prominent members of the association like the Iyalaje general Lagos state, Alhaja Balikis Oluwatoyin Afolabi; the Iyaloja of mile 12 Alhaja Iyabowale and Iyaloja of Owolowo, Alhaja Idiat Olasunbo had on different occasions went to Folashade to complain on the unjust treatment meted out to the Babaloja and her habit of deposing the authentic owners of posts to give to the Ibo guys for huge money in return amongst other acts of atrocity and oppression. Instead of trying to turn a new leaf, she puts all those people in her black book”.
Other sources further revealed that many people are terrorized. In fact we heard that at any meeting at the state secretariat at 10, sunday Adigun st.off kaffi street Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos; she would harass people and even send some members out for no cogent reason. Some members even go to Sunday Adigun with escorts to protect themselves because no one could tell Folashade’s next line of action.
“When the All Progressives Congress gave out the whopping sum of 50 Million Naira to mobilize the market men and women, the Iyaloja general sat over the whole money. During campaign, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, her father noticed there was no support from the market people and called us. The matter was related to him, he begged us and gave us 10 Million Naira before we left his house and we shared the money between all the quarters without grudges from anyone. Upon that, Folashade called us thieves and insulted us like babies not even minding our age and status. Folashade Ojo loves money to a fault” claimed our source.
“When we tried to pick a new venue for our meeting, Asiwaju gave us land; we made a fence and bought blocks to develop the new site. She sent her hoodlums; they came and damaged our fence. They vandalized everything including all the blocks and the chairs we use at the venue. Severally, she had been reported to her father who is now fed up with her irrational behavior and does not actually know what to do to her. The case was at a time reported to the Oba of Ikeja and presently been taken to the Oba of Lagos who sent for her and spoke seriously to her on a faithful Sunday when she came to the palace with her full supporters dressed in the same attire with the inscription “Iyaloja general, Adunni Folashade. Either she would change or not, nobody knows”.
“All we pray for is that God should not allow Adunni Folashade Ojo to break up the association that her grandmother toiled to keep as one”…
Sahara Weekly contacted the Iyaloja for her own side of the story but claimed she is busy at the moment.