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Lagos Computer Village Traders Challenge Iyaloja-General Folashade Tinubu-Ojo with Legal Action; See Reasons

Published by Tope Fakinlede on September 4th, 2024.

Lagos Computer Village Traders Challenge Iyaloja-General Folashade Tinubu-Ojo with Legal Action; See Reasons

The Incorporated Trustees of Computer Village Market Traders and Stakeholders Joint Management, a coalition of market associations in Ikeja’s Computer Village, have issued a cease and desist order to Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Lagos. This action, served by Falana and Falana’s Chambers on August 28, 2024, challenges Tinubu-Ojo’s alleged imposition of levies on the market.

The traders accuse Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu, of unlawfully collecting levies and disrupting market activities with the help of thugs, despite a court order from December 2020 prohibiting such actions. The court had ruled under Suit No. ID/9039MFHR/19, barring her and her agents from collecting levies in Computer Village due to a lack of legal authority.

The Incorporated Trustees include several groups such as the Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (PAPDA), the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association (COMTEAN), and the Association of Mobile Communication Devices Engineers and Technicians (AMCODET). The traders claim that Tinubu-Ojo has ignored the court’s injunction and continued to interfere in their operations, including pressuring their business partners for payments.

The legal notice, signed by Taiwo Olawanle and Adebayo Oniyelu of Falana and Falana’s Chambers, also addresses concerns about Mrs. Abisola Azeez, who was appointed as Iyaloja of Computer Village under Tinubu-Ojo’s authority. The traders question Azeez’s legitimacy, noting she does not have a stake in the market.

The notice highlights that the Lagos State Market Advisory Council Law, specifically Section 8, does not grant Tinubu-Ojo the authority to collect levies or interfere with markets like Computer Village. The traders have warned that any further interference will prompt them to seek all available legal remedies, including claims for associated costs.

This dispute is part of an ongoing debate over market control in one of Lagos State’s largest commercial hubs. The Computer Village, a major ICT market in West Africa, contributes over N300 billion annually to the economy. The traders have historically opposed the appointment of an Iyaloja, arguing that their operations are regulated by the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and do not require traditional oversight.