Two days ago, Vision Newspapers published a story that purported to show that touts and hoodlums were harassing the businessmen and women in the market, extorting and threatening them with dangerous weapons. At the time of our publication, we could not reach the President of the Balogun Business Association (BBA) or any of his executive members to address the issues. The Publisher of Vision Newspapers, Ezeakukwu Emmanuel Nsoedo, had cause to interact with the incumbent President of the Balogun Business Association (BBA), Chief Oscar Ikechukwu Odogwu following protestation from some members.
Vision: Chief Odogwu, our media house and perhaps, another medium had cause to believe that some thugs and touts were deployed by you and your EXCO to extort money and intimidate individuals operating in the market. What do you have to say?
Chief Odogwu: I categorically denied that allegation. It is the machinations of a few insignificant mischief makers determined to draw back the march of progress that my administration is impacting in our market. For about six years, the Caretaker Committee was appointed due to circumstances prevailing at the time. They were charged to conduct the election within three months but they failed to do so and opted to elongate their mandate indefinitely. What they achieved was to turn the market into an environmental disaster zone with heaps of refuse; there was no power supply rather darkness ruled over the market. It was a period of stagnation, and our members will never wish to go back to that era.
BBA Secretariat
Vision: What distinguishes your leadership from that of the Caretaker Committee?
Chief Odogwu: There is no way you will compare darkness to light. We came into office on November 23, 2023, and by January 2024, our administration had cleared the polluted refuse dump. My administration restored twenty-four hours of electricity and ensured purposeful security within and around the market. We discouraged the illegal use of security agents to intimidate our members in the market. Please note that the members of the Caretaker Committee sold a lot of empty spaces that generated billions of naira for them, but they did not give an account of that money to anyone in this market. We will never do such a thing. We are accountable to our members for every penny we generate.
Vision: If the people in the market have gotten the leadership they longed for, what is generating the alleged discontentment?
Chief Odogwu: I have already explained to you that it was the handiwork of those rejected by the people. We provide electricity power round-the-clock for the market. We ensure the environment is clean. Above all, we maintain an agile and effective security to protect our goods and the market. We have a demand note for tenement payment to the tune of about #33 million due to the government. For those services our members enjoy they appreciate the quality of life every member enjoys. When our administration shared the utility demand, over 85 percent of our members complied. When some members requested we extend the deadline for compliance, we agreed because things may not be very smooth for everybody. These erstwhile Caretaker Committee members with a few disgruntled elements joined forces to frustrate the train of progress, but the members refused to join them because they did not have anything to offer.
Vision: One Chief Ossy (Onyeteremmanu) was among the few people from the market who disputed our earlier story. He claimed that you are leading a transformative team. Will you characterize your team as that?
Chief Odogwu: We work as a team to render service to our members. We are not going to measure ourselves in terms of our success. We are happy when the people are happy with us. That is what motivates my team and I to fight for their interest.
May we know how you got your mandate?
Chief Odogwu: Our market is under the supervision of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Take note that the Caretaker Committee members were to conduct the election within a few months, but they decided to sit tight without regard to the people’s needs in the market. Those who had expressed interest in standing for election went to work to request the termination of the Caretaker Committee. The CAC directed for the election to take place, and our members exercised their franchise. This is how I emerged as the President. Other positions held by my EXCO came through a free and fair election.
Ositadinma
June 27, 2024 at 6:23 amGood day Vision,
BBA under the leadership of Oscar ODOGWU is doing very well.
Just name, electricity, security n environment within few months in power.
But the so called Care taker committee over 3 years nothing to write home about.
BBA under CTC was an apology to say the least.