There's as disquiet in Lafenwa Market in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital as a female head of the market popularly called Iyaloja, Alhaja Sidi Owe seized wares worth over 1 million of another market woman.

Alhaja Owe was also accused of destroying the stall of the trader over personal dispute.

The trader, Adetoun Oyenekan, told newsmen that the Iyaloja had in collaboration with the Babaloja pulled down her stall, leaving her with nothing to sell.

HorizonTimes gathered from an eye witness that the trouble started on Thursday when Iyaloja and Oyenekan had dispute.

According to the eyewitness who also complained about alleged high handedness of the market head, there had been conflicts between Iyaloja and many traders in the axis.

When contacted, Oyenekan recounted that she met Iyaloja within the market and that she (Iyaloja) ignored her greetings, but chose to push her off the way.

According to her, Alhaja Owe pushed her off the way the second time on her way back, and that she had to warn her to be careful, saying the Iyaloja dared her to do her worse.

She further alleged that there and then, the Iyaloja asked one 'market guy' to condone off her stall with a red and white tape, the decision which she said she protested.

In the ensuing melee, she alleged that the Iyaloja slapped her three times in the process, adding that she had to retaliate the slap.

This incident, she alleged, led to the seizure of her goods and the demolition of her stand in Lafenwa Market.

“I was passing by in the market yesterday (Thursday) when the Iyaloja pushed me, I didn't say anything. She did it the second time and I asked why. I told her to stop acting that way. She started saying all sorts of things.

“The next thing she did was to get a red and white tape to seal off my stall. I protested; I asked her to tell me what I did wrong.

“They carted away my wares worth over one million naira. She slapped me several times and I retaliated. She pulled down my counter with the supervision of Babaloja,” she narrated.

Oyenekan said she had appealed to the Babaloja and also reported the case to the Gbagura community, but nothing has been done yet.

“I am hungry. I cannot sell anything since yesterday. I am hungry and so are my children. I can't even send them to school. Please come to my aid,” she cried out.

Contacted, the Iyaloja denied slapping Oyenekan, saying “she was the one who slapped me.”

Our correspondent reports that the Iyaloja did not deny carting away the trader’s wares, saying that was the punishment for assaulting a Market head.

Mrs Owe expressed surprise that a market trader could have the effrontery to slap the Iyaloja.

Her words: “I don't know where a market member would slap the Iyaloja. Everything happened yesterday. The woman doesn't greet me before now.

"I was supervising a culvert project at the market when she suddenly pushed me. She pushed me again when I went to meet a friend in the market. Everybody was surprised.

“Instead of dragging issues with her, I, as the Iyaloja, went to call the task force to seal off her stall with tape. When they were about to run the tape round her stall, she started cursing the task force, so they stood away.

"When the task force could not do it, I took the tape, thinking she would fear me a bit. But she pushed me again.

“As I was struggling with her, she slapped me. I said 'should I turn the second ear to you', she said she would slap me again if I turn the second ear to her. I turned the second side to her and everybody rose up, blaming her for what she did. So, we ran the tape to seal off her stand.

“The right punishment for whoever slaps the Iyaloja was applied. Moreover, it has never happened before, and we have rules and regulations in our market.”

Asked about Oyenekan’s goods, the Iyaloja retorted, “If she wants to sue us, she should go to court. The market’s lawyer would respond.”

Mrs Owe was also asked to state what should be done to release the seized goods, she said the woman ought to have organised people to apologise on her behalf.