By Chuks Collins, Awka
Traders at the Onitsha Iron Dealers Market along Atani Road have appealed to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene and avert a looming crisis following an alleged directive ordering the market’s relocation.
The traders warned that unless a last-minute reprieve comes from the governor, peace and a smooth yuletide season may not be guaranteed in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the South-East.
Tension heightened after a series of public announcements reportedly made by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Parks and Markets, Chief Evaristus Ubah, directing that the Iron Dealers Market must relocate on or before December 31, 2025, or face forced eviction to pave way for a proposed highway project. According to the traders, the directive gave them just 14 days to begin relocation.
A team of journalists who visited the market on Christmas Eve observed that the market is set back from the Atani Road highway and does not appear to obstruct traffic or road expansion.
Responding to questions, leaders of the traders’ union said the market was purpose-built by the traders themselves, with adequate provisions for parking, loading and off-loading of trucks and containers, without hindrance to traffic or neighbouring activities.
The Vice Chairman of the union, Ezebuofor Linus, alongside other stakeholders, said that when Governor Soludo earlier listed markets slated for relocation, the Iron Dealers Market, Atani Road, was not included.
The Financial Secretary of the union, Mr. Celestine Uzochukwu Okafor, traced the history of the market, explaining that it was deliberately designed to accommodate future development, including road expansion, and to prevent congestion. He said the traders later acquired an additional site through collective contributions to cater for expansion and new entrants, particularly graduates of the apprenticeship system.
Okafor alleged that problems began when the then chairman of the union, Mr. Nnaemeka Onuzulike, started acting unilaterally and allegedly assumed the role of a landlord, excluding members from decisions. He claimed that repeated efforts by members to engage him failed, leading to petitions to the state government and a pending case at the State High Court. According to him, court orders and directives were allegedly ignored.
Another stakeholder, Deacon Zebulun Ifediorah, expressed disappointment over Chief Ubah’s stance, describing him as a personal friend, but alleging that he unilaterally included the Iron Dealers Market among those slated for relocation.
The union’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnanwuno, appealed to Governor Soludo to intervene in the spirit of the season to prevent a breakdown of order. He alleged possible compromise, claiming that while the traders number over 600, the proposed relocation site reportedly has capacity for only 400 shops.
The traders further alleged that due to their dispute with their chairman, the relocation directive was being used to force them out, adding that shop spaces in the new extension were now being offered at an alleged inflated price of N3.7 million, instead of the earlier agreed N1.45 million.
When contacted, Chief Evaristus Ubah said he was only conveying the directive of the state government, adding that the traders were given adequate notice to comply.
