Council boss speaks on ritual cleansing of Bodija market

Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Aare Latosa Local Council Development Area, in Oyo State, Bashorun Adekunle Oladeji has debunked reports that the popular Bodija market would be closed for two days in order to perform some rituals.

Oladeji described the purported ritual aimed to avert future deaths of traders as untrue.

A rumour in circulation in the social media obtained on Thursday had claimed that the market would be closed for two days (Thursday and Friday) in order to perform some rituals in a bid to avert deaths of the traders in the market.

But, Oladeji who was flanked with leaders of the market while addressing hundreds of traders at the Bodija market on Thursday declared that the information was far from the truth.

Oladeji whose assertion were echoed by the leaders of the market, urged traders and citizens who want to do one business or the other in the market to do so without any fear.

He said such information was not only false but an attempt to mislead members of the public.

Oladeji said the statement was displeasing and false in its entirety.

He said “Nothing like ritual or closing of Bodija market for any reason. When some traders in the market died, government sympathised with the family and market leaders by visiting them. Nobody is performing any spiritual thing in the market.”

Oladeji appealed to the public to disregard the fake information and go on with their normal buying and selling, and other legitimate activities in the market.

He however warned the people misleading others through dissemination of false as well as fake reports to desist from such act or face the wrath of the law if caught.

Some of the market leader also described the rumour as fake.

A former Secretary to the state government, Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli had while reacting to the death of the traders in the market called on clerics across religious divides to raise their voices to God for mercy, protection and success of all traders in Ibadan and indeed other parts of the state.

He said this when news frittered in that some Bodija market traders lost their lives on their way to Bida.