Onitsha traders seek Soludo’s intervention on leadership crisis

By-Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha

As leadership crises between the Ose okwuodu Market caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr. Ikechukwu Umeanozie and Ajasa Traders Association has deepens.

The Chairman of Ajasa Traders Association, Chief Chima Ohia has appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to save them from the grip of Mr. Umeanozie.

Chief Ohia told newsmen that Mr Umeanozie had been intimidating Ajasa Traders with thugs since he became a caretaker, and alleged the said Umeanozie has threatened to take over Ajasa as part of Ose okwuodu Market.

Chief Ohia disclosed that he was appointed as the Chairman of Ajasa  Street Traders Association months ago before Mr. Umeanozie was appointed as the Ose okwuodu Market caretaker Chairman. He disclosed that the connection between him  and Umeanozie together is that they are dealing on chemical business.

Narrating how contention brewed up between him and Umeanozie, Ohia said ” When I was selected to be in charge of Ajasa Street Market, my first duty was clearing traders who were trading along the main road after I obtained permission from the Area commander Onitsha office. The Area commander told me that if I could be able to do it, that I should form taskforce who would assist me.

He also told me to report anybody who might disturb me to him. Then, I bought rope and barricaded line from one end to other in other to prevent women  encroaching to main road.

Then, not up to two weeks when Umeanozie became the caretaker Chairman of Ose okwuodu Market. I summoned my executives and suggested to them that we should go and congratulate him for his new office because he is one of  our colleagues  in Chemical busineness” 

He also explained that after their visit to Umeanozie,  he was called  privately by Umeanozie. ” Umeanozie told me that he would want to work together with me.”

And I questioned him,  “work together as what?” He began to tell me that he collected paper from Awka as the caretaker Chairman and I don’t have paper for my own as the Chairman as the Ajasa Chairman.

“I unequivocally told him that I cannot work with him. Then, he began to querry me, asking who gave me authority to say so? I told him that nothing concerns Ajasa Street and Ose Okwuodu Market. I also told him that,  Ose okwuodu has luck up stores while Ajasa is ordinary Street  like Johnholt and Marin street. I also made him known that Ajasa Street had been in existence before Ose okwuodu.” 

Chief Ohia however said that he became worried because of Umeanozie’s threat and called his executives and informed them how Umeanozie is threatening to take over Ajasa Street as part of Ose okwuodu.

” Then, I moved to Awka secretariat to enquire what we could do so that our  Market could be among the Markets under government. They directed me what I should do. Which I did. I filled forms, and later was issued a recognition letter on August 24, 2022, duly signed by the commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Obinna Ngonadi. We even went to the Commissioner and eulogized him” 

Ohia further disclosed that after some weeks that the letter was collected, Umeanozie’s taskforce stormed his office and told him that all traders should go and pay their taxes at Ose okwuodu white house.” I told them that they would not drag traders to pay taxes at the White House because the director of tax in Onitsha North zone has called all the leaders of street and directed them how tax should be paid. I also told them that the tax director equally warned that nobody should pay taxes to anyone and we should adhere to the government instruction.

“Since then, Umeanozie lodged attacks against me in different ways. He used his taskforce to  apprehend both my secretary and boys who are discogesting main road for us. I reported the matter to the Area Commander, but when we were invited, he asked Umeanozie if he know me. He said  that I am not the Chairman of Ajasa Street. He also claimed that he is the over all Chairman in charge of Ajasa street and Ose okwuodu.

“When it was my turn to make statement, I presented a letter of our recognition to the Area commander as Ajasa Traders Association and also explained to him that Ajasa is not part of Ose okwuodu. The Area commander got angry after seeing the paper and warned Umeanozie to leave us alone, telling him that whatever happened to us, he would hold him responsible”

“Umeanozie later went to Awka, after we finished at Area command, and forged a resignation letter bearing the Commissioner of Commerce and Industry office and asked me to sign. I refused but told the man who brought the letter that the letter is not from the office of the commissioner of commerce and Industry.

“Recently, he brought thugs who came to our Market and started shouting indiscriminately which prompted us to carry peaceful protest to Awka. When we reached Awka, those who received us told us that the commissioner for Commerce and Industry was not on seat and assured us that government would definitely look into our complain. What we want to tell Governor Soludo is that those he sent to work for him have abandoned their duties and start pursuing money”

In their separate speeches, the Secretary of Ajasa street Market, Mr. Emeka Mba and Women leader, Mrs. Ngozi Ezediru (Madam Black) alleged that Mr. Umeanozie had repeatedly boasted that their Market has no money to buy leadership.

When contacted, Mr. Umeanozie said that Ajasa street is part of Ose okwuodu. He also said that Ajasa street don’t have right to have Chairman and executives to operate independently. ” Why should Ajasa street collect security levy on their own “? The embattled Chairman queried !