Rumblings at Ekeoha Shopping Centre Aba

Rumblings at Ekeoha Shopping Centre Aba
Ekeoha Traders Intensify Calls for Gov. Alex Otti’s Quick Intervention
.Kick Against Signing of MOA
.Reject Exorbitant Price of N10 million per shop

Controversies have continued to trail the Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba for quite sometime now.

According to the distraught traders, the blatant refusal of the chairman of the market, Comrade Emeka Okeke to convene a meeting to brief them on the journey so far since the remodelling of the market was flagged off by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) last year heightened their suspicion that all is not well.

They wondered in vain why their chairman who is supposed to carry them along and keep them abreast of every development concerning the project surprisingly sidelined them and has continued to avoid them for a very long time now.

However, the cat was let out of the bag when the traders came back from Christmas early January this year and discovered to their chagrin that so many shops that were not initially slated for demolition had been demolished while they were away.

This set tongues wagging and the traders became confused and infuriated as to why they carried out such wicked act in their absence without minding its dire consequences on their lives.

According to reports, some of the traders lost their lives out of heartbreak and frustration while many others are yet to recover from the trauma.

All efforts to make the chairman of the market to address the traders on the ugly development proved abortive as he has continued to prevaricate whenever the issue came up.

The traders were peeved over his continued indifference to their worsening situation and wanted to protest but the timely intervention of the Grand Patron/Diamond Father of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP) doused the heightened tension in the market.

He appealed to the traders to sheathe their sword assuring them that the matter would be resolved amicably.

They listened to him and he promised them that he would persuade the chairman to convene a meeting where they would address the traders on certain issues in the market bordering them for a very long time now which they considered contrary to Governor Alex Chioma Otti’s laudable vision and genuine concern for them.

After several attempts by the Grand Patron to convince the chairman on the need to convene a meeting to douse the growing tension in the market, he eventually consented and asked the Grand Patron of the market, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP) to fix a date for the meeting and pass the information to the traders, which he did and posted on the market’s general platform.

The traders were so happy when they saw the notice for meeting on their platform and looked forward to the rare opportunity to ventilate their grievances.

But how mistaken they were. Their long-nursed expectation was dashed before their very own eyes as the meeting was suddenly cancelled without cogent reason.

As soon as information about the meeting circulated in the market, the phone number of the Grand Patron of the market became abuzz with calls from far and near telling him to call off the meeting or be ready to face the dire consequences.

The Grand Patron of the market was aghast on hearing such unwarranted and ominous threat not to go ahead with the meeting and could not hazard a guess as to what would have prompted the sudden cancellation.

He felt disappointed, betrayed and ridiculed by the chairman of the market he had been carrying on his wings like an eagle since his appointment, especially during the early and turbulent stage of the remodelling of the market when the traders had wanted to force him out of his chairmanship position at all cost for taking sides with the government instead of them.

Some of the traders who had already gathered at the venue for the meeting found the place heavily locked and on hearing that the meeting had been cancelled they left in anger saying that the chairman had dodged them again.

Since then things have not been the same in the market as the chairman is alleged to have blocked all channels of communication with the Grand Patron and other major stakeholders of the market and surrounded himself with people who erected a formidable barricade to ward off unwanted visitors thus making him unapproachable and elusive.

Incidentally, matters came to a head when the traders got information that the chairman of the market and two others out of the seven-man team representing the traders in the Tripartite Committee on the Remodelling of the market went and signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) secretly and from that moment all those things that were hidden from the traders started coming to light.

The traders petitioned the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) concerning what they perceived as a devious departure from his original plan for the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba stressing that it has been hijacked by some corrupt and selfish individuals.

They appealed to him not to allow them to use their position to further exploit the traders saying that enough is enough.

They vowed to spare no effort to ensure that His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti gets to know the true position of things at Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, which they have been keeping away from him all along.

Consequently, they implored him to visit Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, physically, without delay to see things for himself instead of relying on information from those who have been shielding him from seeing the realities on ground or telling him the truth because if they allow him to know what is happening in the market they would be sorry for themselves.

The traders expressed confidence that the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti they know would not allow the ugly situation to continue as soon as he knows the true position of things in the market.

In a recent Press Conference, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP), the Grand Patron and Diamond Father of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba spoke on the rumblings at the market with uncommon candour.

The two-time executive chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba said that he would not budge unless all those displaced traders were fairly treated and all those behind the rumblings at the market apprehended in order to restore normalcy in the market.

Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP), who is well known for his unimpeachable integrity, outspokenness and long history of standing by the traders and speaking truth to power with boldness and extraordinary eloquence said that the traders have been subjected to untold hardships and exploitation by the present leadership of the market since the flag-off of the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, which they see as an opportunity to enrich themselves.

He condemned the exorbitant price of N10 million per shop in the market, which the Developers insist they must pay to retain their shop in the market.

He expressed fear that so many of the traders would eventually lose their shops in the market after the remodelling exercise.

He also criticized the secret signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by the chairman of the market and two others out of the 7-man team representing the traders in the Tripartite Committee.

He expressed shock that the sum of N50, 000.00 naira processing fee for the allocation form, which was collected from each of the displaced traders has not been refunded to them as directed by His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) whereas they have been creating the impression that they have since refunded the traders.

Finally, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP) dismissed the allegation that he owns plenty shops in the market as false, malicious, mischievous and hypocritical.

He said that the market witnessed tremendous developments during his remarkable two consecutive tenures spanning eight years.

According to him, he carried out his responsibilities in line with established procedures and for the best interest of the traders, the local and state governments, which he said were widely acknowledged by both the traders and the government till date.

We present to you in this special report all you need to know about the rumblings at Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba since the commencement of the remodelling of the market as narrated to us by the Grand Patron of the market, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP) and other major stakeholders. It is quite revealing. Excerpts.

Sir, let us meet you.
My name is Chief Azubuike Madubuko (JP). I was a two-time executive chairman of the market. I served two tenures spanning eight years. After my remarkable two- tenures they made me the Grand Patron as well as the Diamond Father of the market.

Why are you here?
We are here in respect of the Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, which the Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) flagged off on August 8, 2024. We came here to give the full details of the way the remodelling is going on, which we believe is not in line with his vision so that Dr. Alex Otti, the entire Aba community and Abia State would know actually the true position of things.

What is the true position of things in the market?
When Governor Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) flagged off the Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre Aba, it is like the traders were not happy with the project and a lot of them felt they would contest it in court, and of course, they went to court.

The meeting that was summoned by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chief Nwaka Inem in respect of the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba was ignored by the traders. But, we, who believed in His Excellency’s vision, appealed to the traders to sheathe their sword and let us go for the meeting where we would work out the modalities for the remodelling project.

It was a hectic challenge on our part appealing to all those who were against the remodelling of the market to believe in His Excellency’s vision. So, later on they accepted and I personally constituted a committee that would represent the traders in the Tripartite Committee comprising the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Investment, the Developers and Ekeoha traders. We are seven members representing the market in that Committee. And of course, the chairman and secretary were government appointees. So that was how we started. But it is so unfortunate that things kept going wrong from Day One.

While we were busy trying to make sure that the remodelling depicts a clear vision of what Governor Alex Chioma Otti had in mind, the Developers started by way of demolition and we were told that the demolition of the market would be done in phases and that it would take six phases to be completed according to His Excellency.

In the process of Phase One, all those people affected in the areas that were demolished would be provided a place where they would be temporarily relocated and after the construction of the Phase One, the displaced traders would be asked to go back to their various shops.

After the first demolition, we were waiting for construction to take place but nothing happened. Another demolition started. And in the course of all these demolitions, it is on record that the displaced traders were not given a place where they would be staying pending when the construction would take place.

As a matter of fact, it took the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chief Nwaka Inem and the Commissioner, Hon. Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha and, we, the members of the Tripartite Committee to impress on the Developers to start construction since a lot of demolition had already taken place and the affected traders had no place to stay. The GSM Market, which was provided for them could not accommodate up to 200 traders. So as at that very time, over 1, 000 traders were displaced and the traders are now loitering about in agony. We continued to impress it on them to be patient that sanity would at last take place. And in course of our meetings last year, we, the members of the Tripartite Committee including Chief Nwaka Inem and the Hon. Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Investment, Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha conducted inspection on the site and on the three occasions we were there, we pleaded with the Developers to at least, give that very construction a human face so that His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti would be happy with his vision.

But on each occasion, they would promise to start construction and they would not start. But in our last meeting and inspection, which the Commissioner and the Special Adviser came to the site with us, I personally had to plead with the Developers to please for the last time start the construction because as at that time so much demolition had taken place. And when I wanted to kneel down before the man who claimed to be the engineer in-charge, he asked me not to kneel down for him as an elder. I told him that if he looked around, he would see the grievances on the face of the traders.

As at that time during those inspections, the slogan then was, “Ruo nu nke akuru aku” (Build the ones you have demolished). That was the chant that rented the air by women around here and men as well. “Enough demolition has taken place, please start work”, they chanted. And they promised that they were going to start construction on December 13, 2024 and we left home for Christmas believing that construction would take place.

Surprisingly, when we came back on Wednesday, January 17, 2025, we discovered that a lot of areas had been marked again for demolition.

This was what triggered off tension in the market and we discovered that the Chief Executive of Rhino Home Properties Limited who has always claimed that it is not binding on him to follow the decisions of the Tripartite Committee because he has not attended our meetings even for one day, even though he has been invited on several occasions, took the chairman of the market including few individuals to one hotel, West Swiss beside Margaret Avenue, GRA, Aba and compromised them after which he was promised a lot of places for further demolition.

So, when this thing happened, as the Grand Patron of the market, I had to invite the chairman of the market and asked him if he were aware of the demolition that was about to take place again. Initially, he feigned ignorance but after much pressure on him, he accepted and I said when you go into a meeting with the CEO of Rhino Home Properties Limited, you have committed yourself and see what is about to take place now. What explanation do you have to give the traders? So, he felt that he had played into his hands.

Nevertheless, I said that we were going to stop that further demolition. It was just three days that those people were asked to stop further demolition and start work. But unfortunately, when we travelled home for Christmas I was told that they started another demolition. In fact, the latest demolition caused the death of so many people in the market and others fell sick due to frustration. And I want to tell you that ever since then the market has not regained itself. So, when we came back in January 2025 and saw what had happened that was when we knew that things have started falling apart. I impressed on the chairman to summon a meeting for us to address the issue. But because of his commitment he was unable to summon a meeting. I pleaded with him that the traders are now tensed up and we needed to address their concerns. And he continued giving one excuse or the other. Even the Tripartite Committee meeting, which we normally hold, no longer held. That was when we discovered what the Developers were doing. They were more concerned with the rods and gates belonging to the traders, which they carted away in the course of the demolition. Also, he did not do what he was supposed to have done. So that was how we started having serious problems in the market. When we now saw that things are no longer working out, we had to write a letter to the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) titled, “Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba: Call for Executive Intervention by His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti dated May 20, 2025.

The letter was sent to Government House, Umuahia and was acknowledged on May 25, 2025 by His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti. The exercise continued and later on they started work but it was very slow. We had a meeting at Umuahia on April 9, 2025 and we agreed on certain modalities.

One of the modalities was that there would be no further demolition in the market and that the traders who were displaced should be provided a place for their relocation and that the Tripartite Committee Remodelers of the market were given eight months to complete the first phase and that it would be done one hundred percent and the affected traders would be given right of first refusal for them to go and pack into their shops and that they would be given one month after completion for them to pay for their various shops after which whoever that fails to pay would be compensated and allowed to go. That was our agreement.

In the course of fixing the price for the shops, the traders said that since it was going to be built to international standard like that of Ariaria International Market, Aba, they would pay N4 million initially. We increased it to N5 million and later N6 million since it would be like that of Ariaria. But they insisted on N10 million and we refused. I want to let you know that while the project is going on, we discovered that what is being built is substandard. It is not the standard of Ariaria that we were made to believe and that was the standard we agreed to pay N6 million. If you go to the market you would observe that the one JIMBAZ built so many decades ago is even of a higher standard than what is going on presently in the market. How can you demolish a standard edifice and build a substandard one? So that was where we had a great shock of what is going on in the market. I want to tell you that if you go to the market, you would discover that the shops that are being constructed, let me call it store, it is not shop because if you raise your hand, you would just touch the decking. But the ones that are being demolished, if you raise your hand, you cannot touch the fan, not to talk of the decking. And we began to wonder, if it is the standard that they are building for us. So that was what prompted another petition to the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti. The letter was delivered on May 28, 2025 and acknowledged on May 28, 2025. The title of the letter: His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR), the Executive Governor of Abia State, The Imperative of Directing An Immediate Stop to Further Work at Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba Until Fundamental Issues are Resolved”. So, this letter was addressed to him where we narrated all that is going on in the market and we are hoping that we would be invited for a meeting with him because we implored him to please as a matter of urgency pay us a visit to see things for himself since everything is not working as he had planned.

So, when we wrote the letter to him as at that time the Developers had already started selling the shops, which they were building for the traders to outsiders. We have available evidence and ready to prove it beyond all reasonable doubt. We began to wonder why they have started selling the shops they are building for the traders to outsiders and where do they feel that those traders they are building the shops for would now stay. But they promised that the shops would be given back to them. Then after selling those shops where do they think those traders would get back their shops from?

So you now discover that a lot of propaganda is going on in the market to divert the attention of Governor Alex Chioma Otti to what is actually happening in the market and the traders are not happy. And before you know it they went and cornered the chairman of the market with two other persons – the secretary and one other member without our knowledge. They invited us for a meeting when we were not around. I was at Warri attending the Inaugural Lecture of Prof. Chinelo Nwokolo when I got a circular inviting us for a meeting the following day at Umuahia. I called on the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chief Nwaka Inem and told him that if he is inviting us to a meeting that he should at least give us three or four days notice. How can he summon us to a meeting in less than 48 hours. It was when I came back to Aba that I realized that the meeting was their game plan where they now cornered the chairman to go and sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on behalf of the traders, which members of the Tripartite Committee had not agreed.

As at that time there was an agreement, which we submitted to the Tripartite Committee. It is our own overview of how the agreement should protect the interest of all the parties involved. The agreement was submitted to them and they promised that they would hand it over to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Legal Matters for him to go through.

When I started to read out our own side of the agreement, which was prepared by our lawyer, they said that it is better I give them a copy so that they would go and take a look at it and incorporate it into the agreement, which the government intends to draft after which they would now hand over a copy to us to go and relate it to the traders. This has not taken place before they started selling those shops.

Sir, can you tell us the total number of shops they have built?
They have not even built one shop as I speak with you. They have only started construction and in the course of construction they are considering that they do not have money to execute the project that is why they now ran into problems and began to make announcements on radio that construction is seriously going on and that people should come and start paying in order to get money for that very exercise thereby denying the traders who were made to understand that the shops are being built for them the right of first refusal. I personally confronted the chairman and asked him if he was aware of this exercise that is going on. He confirmed that the people paying for those shops are paying through the Rhino Home Properties Limited. But I told him that it is wrong for them to pay through Rhino Home Properties Limited. Also, I asked him what is the fate of the traders whose shops were demolished ? Finally, I asked him now that they have started collecting money upfront how would they guarantee the welfare of those traders?

So that was the situation. Even while the exercise was going on they asked those traders whose shops are being remodelled to submit forms and that they should pay N50, 000.00 for screening of the forms. That was when we now cried out aloud to the listening and traders-friendly Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti and he directed the immediate stop to the collection of that N50, 000.00 that was being extorted from the traders and ordered that all those who have paid should be refunded immediately. I went on air with members of the Tripartite Committee excluding the chairman of the market and the secretary who we know have compromised. We went to Magic FM and BCA to thank His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti for his prompt intervention by ordering for the prompt returning of the N50, 000.00. But I want to tell you that as at today nothing has taken place. The refund has not been done and they have kept creating the impression that people have been refunded. I want to tell you that not a single person has been refunded. That is to tell you the dubious acts of this very people and that was why they were in a hurry to go and sign the Memorandum of Agreement in our absence without even waiting for us to study what they have submitted and then address the traders who we are representing. It is really unfortunate that all those things were now been done behind the traders. The traders have been anxious to know actually our representation there and for the fact that there is so much tension in the market, we have kept on pleading with them but it was when the MOA was signed by these three persons that everything burst and the traders said that they now know that a good representation has not taken place. So, we had to write Dr. Alex Chioma Otti once again.

You said that you have written four letters to the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti. Has he responded to them?
The most recent one is after the one of May 28, 2025, which he acknowledged as usual and it was then we now received a letter from the Abia State Government, Office of the Governor, Special Adviser on Trade, Commerce and Investment. The heading of the letter is the Imperative of Directing Immediate Stop to Further Work at Remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba Until Fundamental Issues are Resolved. They told us that His Excellency has received our letter and that he has directed that we should come for a meeting at the Office of his Chief of Staff on June 16, 2025 for us to now discuss our concerns. So that is the situation for now.

Are you aware of a video clip trending on social media and your market platform accusing you of owning plenty shops in the market?
Yes, I have gone through it. When I saw Pascal Udo (Hunter), I knew he was reading a script written for him. But the fact remains that the allegations are baseless and of course, there is no way at my level that I can condescend to that very level of going to negotiate with Rhino Home Properties Limited. I only met him once in Umuahia, that was the day I described him as another JIMBAZ that wants to manipulate the traders and everybody laughed because I knew how I wrested power out of JIMBAZ’s hand and the role I played so that Ekeoha would stand. So, that was when I saw the man. In all our Tripartite Committee meetings, we have invited him on more than three occasions to come and be part of the meeting and then let us know actually his vision for the market. He snubbed our invitations and did not come. I wonder who I would go and discuss with. Is it the boys he kept at the site or who else?

What are going to do about it?            Of course, I want to assure you that I am not idle because he who alleges has to prove. I have already discussed with my lawyers and at the appropriate time if they do not apologize for that very malicious statement, which they made against me, I think they would face a libel suit.

Innocent Anosike
(Mayor of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba)

Our Grand Patron has said it all. But I want to chip in one or two things. I remember one of the days we went to the chairman concerning this very Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) after our 7-man meeting and we all agreed before we took it to a lawyer to help us to put it in order. But just like somebody asked our Grand Patron a question if he is aware of the video that is trending on the social media and our market platform accusing him of owning plenty shops in the market, I noticed in that very video a comment they made that we all agreed on this with the chairman, and even our Grand Patron took the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to his lawyer and said that we are not going to exceed N6 million. On that very day of the meeting, where they went and signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), normally they used to give us some days notice for a meeting. There is no way you would give us a notice for a meeting in less than 48 hours. I saw that very notice for the meeting that same date that the meeting was taking place. So, I did not even bother to reply it and I did not go. I thought it was just our normal meeting. And when they came back the next day we saw it in our platform that they have signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on behalf of the traders, which is very wrong. Since January, we have been telling him to call the traders for a meeting because that is what we normally do at least to brief them on how far we have gone in this very matter. But nothing like that was done. Even when our Grand Patron discussed with him and told him the need that we are supposed to call the traders for a meeting, we all agreed and he said go ahead. The Grand Patron issued a notice for a meeting in our market platform on May 31, 2025. And less than two minutes, Hon. Ucheonye Stephen Akachukwu, the member representing Aba Central called him trying to tell him not to go ahead with that very meeting. The Grand Patron said he had the consent of the chairman before calling for the meeting and he said no, that he should not go ahead with the meeting. He said that he had already passed a circular for the meeting. It was not up to twenty minutes, we started getting calls from security agencies for us not to go ahead with that meeting and they told us that they are inviting us for a meeting in their office. And when we went to our Secretariat they had locked up the place for us not to hold the meeting. That was exactly what happened on that very day. We now went to the DSS and explained ourselves to them and after listening to us they told us not to go ahead with the meeting adding that the Tripartite Committee chairman/Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chief Nwaka Inem said that they would come on Thursday, the following week for this meeting. The traders were happy for once on hearing this. But unfortunately, the meeting did not hold.

Augustine Emeka
(Assistant Secretary, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba)

I fell out with the chairman of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba, Comrade Emeka Okeke December last year when I discovered that the original plan for the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba had been manipulated by him and the Developers, which I can categorically state that on December 16, 2024, they had a secret meeting after which they extended the demolition to other places that were not in the original agreement. I asked him what happened then. But one funny thing is that they always lie with the name of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti. He said that Dr. Alex Otti wanted it that way and that he has mandated the Developers to finish the construction before 2027 only to discover that they had a secret meeting, maybe because of the rods from the demolished shops, which they sold and pocketed the money. So from that day I decided to fall out with him because there is an Igbo adage, which says, “If one finger is soaked with blood it stains others”. The entire traders of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba know that I am the man behind every activity of the chairman. So, I decided to exonerate myself since he has decided not to tell me about the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba. So, recently, I heard that they signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at Umuahia without the executive. We were not aware of it and challenged him on our platform, which he said that they called an emergency meeting and told them that the government, Special Adviser and the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Investment want them to be secretive about it and that they swore an oath not to divulge any information about the Tripartite Committee. So that very day I told him openly that I would exonerate myself before the traders and tell them that I am not part of this, even though I am one of the executive members that I am against this manipulation. That is why we fell out. So I went to our market platform and declared my stand that I am not part of this or that.

So, what do you want the government to do for the traders?
First and foremost, we thank the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for stopping further demolition until the already demolished places are fixed completely.

We appeal to him to look into the price determination of the shops. N10 million per shop is too exorbitant for the shop owners whose shops were demolished to pay so as to retain their shops. Besides, the shops are substandard. The height is so down. It is not up to 12 x 12 they promised us. Even the foundation is so low. Flood would enter the shops easily unlike the ones they demolished. So, we will be happy if His Excellency hearkens to our cry. Let me use this opportunity to say that they are not telling the Governor the truth. Up till now, I am telling you authoritatively that the traders are unaware of the updates as regards the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba. There was an uproar in the market but the timely intervention of our Grand Patron, Chief Barth Azubuike Madubuko (JP) who pleaded with the traders not to protest saved the market from crisis. The chairman concurred but on the day of the meeting he disappeared, locked up our Secretariat and used DSS and RRS to threaten us for the meeting not to hold.

It takes boldness and courage to defend one’s integrity, which I have done. Because of my integrity and my good name, I am totally against any form of manipulation in the remodelling of Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba and as a result of it, I have received a letter from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Investment suspending me from my official duty as Assistant Secretary of the market. I am so happy that it is on record that I was suspended because of speaking truth to power.

Chinyere Matthew
(Former chairman, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba)

My take is that all of us here in Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Aba are in support of the remodelling of the market and want it to be done very well. But what we see presently is not what the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) told us. First, when the Governor came to the market to flag-off the remodelling of the market everyone of us was in support for him to do it and do it very well. But I think what the Governor had in mind is not what is going on in the market for now. Things have turned upside down in a way that all of us here, especially members of the Tripartite Committee, I mean the seven of us representing the market in the Tripartite Committee are still dumbfounded over the decision they took by signing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). It was done without the knowledge of four of us in that Committee representing the traders. And that is the reason why the four of us are here today to challenge the chairman and all the rest of them that went ahead and signed that MOA that they should come and explain to the traders what transpired that day they went to sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).