••• Floods, Broken Roofs Threaten Traders’ Survival
For over four years, traders at Afunbiowo Market have endured relentless hardship, battling storm-damaged roofs, flooded floors, and government neglect — their cries for help growing louder but unanswered.
By Roving Reporters, Akure
Afunbiowo Market in Akure has become a symbol of prolonged neglect and hardship.
For the past four years, traders and market women have struggled daily under dilapidated roofs that fail to shield them from frequent storms, while waterlogged floors have turned the once-bustling market into a hazardous and disheartening place to work.
Despite repeated pleas for government intervention, promises remain unfulfilled, leaving traders trapped in a cycle of despair and survival.
As the rainy seasons come and go, so too does hope — slowly draining away with every drop of rain that falls on their exposed stalls.
Afunbiowo Market, located beside the Cash Hold Filling Station in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has turned into a heartbreaking scene of neglect and decay, as traders and market women continue to suffer under dire conditions worsened by a recent storm that ripped off the market’s roofs.
The once-thriving commercial hub now stands in a pitiful state—with roofless stalls, waterlogged floors, and a rising tide of frustration among traders who say their pleas for government intervention have long been ignored.
When Roving Reporters visited the market, it was a picture of abandonment. Nearly every roof had been destroyed, exposing goods and traders alike to the harsh elements.
Pools of stagnant water now cover much of the market floor, turning walkways into muddy, slippery paths.
Many traders have had to abandon their sections, while others—without any alternative—have built makeshift sheds inside the open stalls to shield their merchandise.
“This is not just a market anymore; it’s a daily struggle for survival,” said Mrs. Risi Alade, a tomato seller whose wares had been ruined by rain.
“We pay levies every day, but nothing is done to fix anything here. How long can we continue like this?”
Several other traders echoed her sentiments, saying they feel betrayed by both the Akure South Local Government and the Ondo State Government, who they claim have only made empty promises after multiple visits by officials.
“We have seen them come with notepads and take pictures,” said Mr. Akin Adesina, a poultry feed dealer. “They promised intervention, but nothing has changed. Rain keeps falling, and so do our hopes.”
Despite the worsening conditions, government officials reportedly continue to collect daily fees and levies from the struggling traders—an act many describe as exploitative and insensitive.
“How can a government that claims to care about its people be profiting from our pain?” asked Mrs. Adebayo, a provisions seller. “It’s unfortunate and inhuman.”
The traders are now making a passionate appeal to the Akure South Local Government and the Ondo State Government to act with urgency before the rains destroy what is left of the market and their means of survival.
“We’re not asking for much,” said another trader. “Just a safe place to do our business—without fear of rain or roof collapsing on our heads.”
As the rainy season intensifies, so too does the despair at Afunbiowo Market—a market in ruins, a community unheard, and livelihoods hanging by a thread.
Reacting, the Akure South local government chairman Donald Fasua denied collecting tax from the market.
Fasua said it’s been over eight years that the local government had visited the market to collect any money from the traders.
