Friday September 16, 2022

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANT) has called out Princess Folasade Nurudeen also known as Abeo Osa to display evidence of her membership, office address and records of her past transaction as a trader in Oyo State for the public, Oyo state government and security agencies.

The group made the statement while reacting to a release credited to Princess Folasade Nurudeen and aired on an Ibadan based radio station recently.

She demanded reason from NANT on why Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN) should not install her as Iyaloja-General of Southwest.

According to a release signed by the Southwest Secretary of NANT, Comrade Abiodun Adegoke, the national body of traders in Nigeria described the decision of Folasade Nurudeen to hire unknown association to disstabilize traders in Oyo State for political and selfish reasons as unfortunate.

NANT therefore promised to stand with traders to neutralize the strength and threat from anyone or groups.

The statement read, “NANT is constitutionally registered in Nigeria as umbrella body for traders, with legal rights of protecting the interest of traders in Nigeria. After the receipt of several allegations and petitions on alleged illegal and unconstitutional activities of Princess Folasade Nurudeen and her brand new association, we carried out investigations to get to the root of the matter and possibly make peace between the traders for the progress of various associations.

“Unfortunately, during investigation, we discovered that Folasade Nurudeen has never been a member of any trade association in Oyo State.

Our finding with the Oyo State Ministry of Trade and Industry also revealed that Market Traders Association (MATAN) was never registered with the ministry.

“We also discovered that Folasade has never had any shop in any of the market places in Oyo State, in addition she hasn’t been engaging in the act of buying and selling within the state. Further investigation with the corporate affairs commission added that MATAN is not an active registered organisation in Nigeria.

“It is on record that no association has constitutional right to install Iyaloja-General in any state because the function of Iyaloja-General is beyond the locus stands of any association. The right to elect and install Iyaloja-General rests on traders from all the local government councils in each state, who will be represented by the Iyalojas and Babalojas from all the local government councils.

“The proposed Iyaloja-General of Southwest planned to confer on Folasade Nurudeen by MATAN is a joke taken too far, no association has such right, not even NANT. As at the time of releasing this document each of the six states in the Southwest has Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General; there is no Iyaloja-General for the Southwest region, it’s unconstitutional and impossible for any group or association to hide under conspirators in any state to initiate unacceptable idea that will further polarise traders in the region.