Yam dealers debunk extortion claim

A trading group, under the aegis of Egbe Isokan Irewolede Owolowo Yam Dealers Association of Nigeria (EIIOYDAN), Oyo State chapter, has debunked an allegation of extortion levelled against it by another group from Ogun State named, Ogun West Yam sellers Association of Nigeria (OWYASAN).A release signed by Alhaji Ramoni Omidokun, Alfa Oriade Azeez and Alhaji Fatai Ajadi, and made available to Community News, disclosed that the group was made up of over 50 yam trading groups across the South-West and parts of North Central of the country.The release said that the allegation was nothing, but a predetermined strategy to confuse yam traders who are joining the association on a daily basis.It will be recalled that OWYASAN had earlier alleged of how Isokan Irewolede Owolowo Yam Sellers Association, was mounting barricades on the road to illegally collect money from yam sellers who were not members of the association or who were not from Ibarapa Division of Oyo State.However, the group, EIIOYDAN, affirmed that it had notified and got approval of the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development of its existence and its intention of collecting a token levy from members of the association to run the association's affairs.'It was a fact that we have notified the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development of our existence in the state, as well as police authorities, informing them of our intention of collecting token amount from our members to run the affairs of the association.'We want to say without mincing words that what we requested for from our members do happen among other trading groups across the country and ours should not be an exceptional in as much it affects our members only,' the release said.The EIIOYSAN, therefore, challenged the OWYASAN which it said was just a local government-based of Yewa Area of Ogun State, to a roundtable discussion to ascertain the authentic yam traders and dealers in the South-West.The release also explained how a meeting was scheduled for August 23, 2012, at the residence of Baale of Maya, Chief Jimoh Oladele Akinola, at Lanlate, in Ibarapa-East Local Government Area of Oyo State, but OWYASAN failed to attend despite the fact that their (EIIOYDAN) members who were about 70 from various yam trading groups, converged on the palace of the Baale.EIIOYDAN, therefore, urged its members across the country to be law abiding and continue their trading and cooperate with the lawful directives of the leaders of the association.
Click here to read full news..