The Oyo State Government on Wednesday fulfilled its promise to traders affected by the Alesinloye Market fire outbreak, handing over 88 newly reconstructed ultra-modern shops to the victims at no cost.
The Executive Chairman of Ibadan South-West Local Government, Hon. Kehinde Adeyemi Akande, who performed the handover on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, said the exercise was in fulfilment of the governor’s commitment made during his assessment visit to the market following the inferno.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Akande recalled that the fire incident, which occurred a few months ago in the plastic and rubber section of Alesinloye Market, destroyed numerous shops and goods worth millions of naira.
He said: “If we can all recall, a few months ago there was a fire outbreak at Alesinloye Market. We came here to sympathise with the victims and assure them that the government would reconstruct the affected section of the market. Our governor, as we all know, is a man of the people. Whenever anything happens in the state, he is always present.
He promised that the shops would be rebuilt and handed back to the victims free of charge, and that is what we are doing today.”
Hon. Akande described the occasion as a significant milestone for the Alesinloye Market community, noting that the reconstructed section is now better organised and more aesthetically appealing than before the incident.
According to him, the new design incorporates improved access roads leading to the shops, making the market safer, more accessible and easier to navigate.
The chairman also outlined measures put in place to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. He disclosed that the fire station within the market would be rebuilt to enhance emergency response, while safety officers from the local government would be permanently deployed to ensure compliance with safety regulations and maintain a secure trading environment.
He further revealed that beyond reconstructing the shops, the state government had earlier provided immediate relief of N250,000 to each affected trader to cushion the impact of their losses.
“When the incident happened, both state and local government officials visited the market to sympathise with the traders. After the Deputy Governor’s visit, the Governor himself came here and immediately approved the payment of N250,000 to each affected trader to help alleviate their losses,” he said.
Also speaking, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, described the handover as another demonstration of Governor Makinde’s commitment to keeping his promises. He urged beneficiaries to maintain the facilities and use them responsibly.
He explained that the 88 shops handed over correspond exactly to the number of traders captured in the verified list compiled immediately after the fire outbreak.
Speaking on behalf of the traders, Alhaja Taiwo Sekinat Bisola, representing the Babaloja of Alesinloye Market, expressed appreciation to the Oyo State Government for the gesture, describing it as a major relief that has restored the means of livelihood of the affected traders.
She also appealed to beneficiaries to properly maintain the facilities and strictly observe safety measures to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
Recall that the fire outbreak occurred in the early hours of March 11, 2026 in the plastic and rubber section of Alesinloye Market, destroying shops and goods worth millions of naira.
