A Community On Edge
At the heart of Jakande Estate, Oke‑Afa, Ejigbo, a modest retail market tucked beside the Oja bus stop has become the epicenter of a simmering civic crisis.
Word of a planned demolition by the Ejigbo LCDA has sparked a chorus of angry residents, traders, and activists who claim the exercise will economically displace dozens of families in an already strained economy.
What makes the protest especially poignant is the perceived silence of the ward’s elected representative, Hon Olabisi Muritala, the councillor for Oke‑Afa Ward. Residents describe her response to the looming bulldozer as “indifference”, lamenting that she has neither convened a consultation nor offered a public statement despite repeated requests for audience.
“We have asked for her voice, for a town‑hall, for any sign that she hears us,” says, a long‑time market vendor. “Instead, we get radio silence.”
The community’s frustration quickly escalates into a pointed question: Whose interest does Hon Muritala truly serve?
Residents’ also expressed their grievances saying:
1. Lack of consultation – No public forum, no stakeholder briefing.
2. No alternative relocation plan – Traders fear losing their stalls forever.
3. Potential exorbitant buy‑back fees – Marketers suspect they may be forced to repurchase their spaces at inflated prices.
Observers note that the councillor’s silence could be interpreted as alignment with the LCDA’s development agenda, or simply a failure of communication.
“If she’s not fighting for us, who is she fighting for?” asks, a youth leader in the Estate Youth Parliament. “The market is the lifeline of this community. Pulling it down without a plan is pulling the rug from under our feet.”
Beyond the market, residents argue that basic infrastructure pothole‑riddled roads, an outdated Primary Healthcare Centre, absence of streetlights, and inadequate security remain unattended.
“Demolishing a market won’t fix a broken road,” asserts a community development activist. “Our priority list is clear: roads first, health centre upgrades, lighting, security. The market can wait, but our people cannot.”
There is a unanimous plea, by aggrieved parties urging Hon Muritala to immediately convene a town‑hall meeting.
And the community is making the following demand:
1. Transparent justification for the demolition (including approvals, budget references, and PPP documentation).
2. A viable relocation or compensation plan for affected traders.
3. A roadmap addressing the community’s pressing infrastructural needs.
“We are not against development,” clarifies Yusuf Adeyemi, Chairman of the Estate Youth Parliament. “We are against development that crushes us. Let the councillor come to the table, listen, and act.”
Hon Olabisi Muritala has been urged to issue an official response.
For now, the market’s fate and the councillor’s reputation hang in a delicate balance, awaiting the first word that could either bridge the divide or cement the distrust between Oke‑Afa’s residents and their elected voice.
