Bagana community market is one of the largest market in the entire Kogi state and the economic hub of Omala local government. It is a spot where traders from Kogi, Nassarawa, and Benue State converge to engage in commercial activities like trade by batter, whole sales and retail of fishes, rice and other consumable crops, and tubers etc. The market is a great determinant of Omala internally generated revenue (OIGR) and also a source of livelihood to individuals, families and households within the province Of Omala and other neighbouring local governments.
The existence of the market has created jobs and made successful people through businesses such as transport, wheel barrow pushing, goods loading/offloading, farming, fishing, Local rice milling factories, cassava processing factories and excetera. Surpluses of food items in the market benefits the people in obtainable prices and easy access which minimizes cost of living and improved standard of living of our hardworking people even in the face of Nigeria’s hard economic reality over the years.
But tragically, these industrious activities and livelihood of the poor Omala populace has been consumed by flaming crisis, suspected to be proceed of extreme greed and absolute ignorance proudly exhibited by unverified individuals deriving satisfaction from breaching social peace and inflicting untold hardship on the vast population of our weak men, women and children across Omala communities who depend on the market for survival. We can not watch the hope of the people been thrown to the mud by few lawless unmasked persons. It is a slap on our faces and deserve serious attention, because Omala is our home and we have no other place to call home, and we can’t let it down at any cost.
How would the coming festive period be celebrated by our people if this menace persists how do we survive further, enough!.
This is a call to intensify and hasten action on the Chairman Omala traditional council, HRH. Chief Musa Boniface, the Executive Chairman Omala local government council, Hon. Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu Aboh, the representative of Omala constituency at Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Prince Collins Musa Boniface, Ife Development Association (IDA) and all concerned Omala elites to rise and harmonize all possible influences to proffer urgent and lasting solution, plausible modalities to end the crises militating against Bagana community, dragging our market off life and hope to the tragic pit of extinction.
The implication of negligence or procrastination of action will not just intensify hardship on our good people but also spread insecurity of killings, robbery, kidnapping, across all the yet affected communities, because those whose businesses are halted may engage in criminal means of survival and that endangers our lives.
It is advisable to act fast through the state security and traditional institution to curtail this crisis as the people are helplessly suffering and won’t endure any further. We need the intervention of the state government we need peace in Bagana community because it is undeniable to say the end of Bagana market would mark the beginning of the end of Omala local government.
– Yunusa Muhammed Lawal wrote from Omala LGA, Kogi State.
