Igboora: The Iyamopo Centre for Peace, Women and Youth Development has advised market women in Igboora and other parts of Ibarapa land in Oyo State to unite to realise their interests and development. The Executive Director of the centre, Mrs Sherifat Taleat-Afafat, gave the advice during an advocacy visit to the palace of Oba Jamiu Badmus, the Oluaso of Iberekodo, Ibarapa Central Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Taleat-Afafat stated that the Coalition of Market Women Associations in Oyo State has been established to provide a united platform through which women could speak with one voice and advocate for issues affecting their livelihoods and wellbeing. She emphasized that fragmentation of women groups had limited their ability to access opportunities and support as done in other parts of the country. The coalition aims to promote the inclusion of women in governance, leadership, and decision-making processes.
Taleat-Afafat highlighted the need for women to have the opportunity to make demands from the government for the protection of their rights and to advocate for issues that concern their livelihood, community, and wellbeing. The advocacy visit also aimed to create awareness among market women and youths engaged in various trades about the objectives and benefits of the coalition. The Iyal?ja and market women of Towobowo Market in Iberekodo, Igboora, had expressed interest in joining the coalition.
The executive director commended the Oluaso of Iberekodo, who is also the leader of Towobowo Market, for his support and commitment to the initiative. His involvement has strengthened the campaign for greater unity among market women. Earlier, Oba Badmus commended commodity traders in Igboora and Ibarapaland for ensuring the inclusion of members in various programmes beneficial to their associations. The traditional ruler urged women, particularly market women, to remain united, especially during the ongoing electioneering process, to enable them to secure benefits and opportunities due to them.
Chief Alice Adesokan, a market women leader in Oyo State, also called for unity among women to break stereotypes and secure support for the expansion of their trades. She urged the various women groups in Igboora and its environs to operate under one umbrella body, suggesting a designated day for market women trading in various commodities to meet under the umbrella body. Adesokan noted that the Coalition of Market Women Associations in Oyo State also included youths engaged in different vocations and trades.
Responding, Alhaja Sidikatu Awotunde, the market women leader in Iberekodo, Igboora, expressed readiness to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and development of women through the coalition. However, she expressed concern over previous coalition initiatives, which she said had failed to adequately include market women, urging that benefits meant for them should reach them.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the advocacy visit featured the presentation of the ‘Charter of Demands: Voices of Market Women in Oyo State’ and the Needs Assessment of Market Women and Commodity Associations in Oyo State. The event was attended by Iberekodo community and market leaders, including High Chief Samson Adeleye, the Ikolaba of Iberekodo.