For sanity to prevail in Ladipo market

For a market adjudged as the largest of its type in Africa, the Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market in Lagos is, unfortunately, the biggest mess in its sprawling environmental decadence and incredible human lawlessness.

Recent pandemonium at the market which led to the killing of a trader deserves the full weight of justice, as well as a review of the marketplace that has morphed into a complete urban nuisance. In the past week, it has been practically impossible for vehicles to navigate successfully through the market, no thanks to heaps of refuse that effectively shut down the main Ladipo road.

The other day, men of the armed forces that are statutorily mandated to protect the State and the citizenry compounded the insanity in the market when they turned in ammunition to settle private scores with unarmed traders. This is unacceptable. All errant officials involved in the power show should be duly investigated and brought to book as deterrence to barbarism. By extension, it behooves the state government to come alive to its responsibility, stop indulging malfeasance and sheer lawlessness that has consistently reigned supreme in the flagship auto market.
  
While no one can deny the huge service that the Ladipo marker has been providing for motorists over many years now, it has nonetheless been a disaster waiting to happen. The shocking level of environmental degradation, lawlessness, and reckless conduct of private business concerns in the commercial epicentre has made tragedy only a matter of when. The shooting incident two weeks ago came as no surprise to many. It began as a scuffle between a trader and a soldier, who felt cheated in a transaction dated a year ago. Trigger-happy officers have ushered in reprisal and allegedly opened fire in the marketplace. At least three traders were allegedly caught by bullets and one Felix Nnana Onu was killed, causing Ladipo traders to go on the rampage in protest; thus exacerbating the breakdown of law and order on Apapa Oshodi Expressway. Regrettably, nothing so far has been heard on the matter, either from the Nigerian Army or the Lagos State government that has the constitutional responsibility on justice, protection of lives, and properties.

The shocking acts of lawlessness feature all open spaces being converted into fee-paying parking lots or used for wares’ merchandising particularly along the dual-carriage Ladipo Street linking the international airport corridor. Perpetually, the area is littered with imported Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) vehicles, trucks, used household items, and heaps of rubbish. All over our food remains water plastics and oil spills. The canal section is the cesspit of open defecations, wanton waste, and an epidemic time bomb waiting to explode. Adding to the squalid condition are weed-smoking touts, street urchins, and so-called task-force officials assigned to let rip on tolls and extort traders. They all constitute daily brawls and stampedes that make life in the area a detestable jungle experience.
  
As the local council authority fails to exact control and the traders abandon self organisation for rabid merchandising, unforgivable is the complicit negligence on the part of the Lagos State government. For both the state and local governments, the market is a revenue cash cow on a daily basis. Besides the rents and sundry dues payable in bulk, hundreds of vehicles in need of repairs are funneled into the market area daily and each charged N1000 for parking space. But there should be more to governance in this part of Lagos than a rent-seeking approach. It is curious that the Lagos State government would still be engaging touts as street revenue collectors while preaching smart city initiatives.