An in-house conflict has erupted among traders in Edo State as factions vie to unseat the current leadership of the Edo State Market Women Association, headed by Mrs. Blacky Ogiamen. The discord stems from allegations of politicization within the organization and rising prices of goods.
Sources indicate that some market traders are plotting to appoint Mrs. Josephine Ebhaguejezele, the Iyaloja of Edo Market, in a move reminiscent of practices in Lagos and other states. They have accused Ogiamen of engaging in political activities, particularly her support for the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the recent governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.
Ogiamen has also been criticized for contributing to the high cost of foodstuffs in the state capital, attributed to the proliferation of various associations handling different commodities in the markets.
In July, Ogiamen led a protest against an alleged attempt by the Iyaloja of Lagos to impose Ebhaguejezele as the Iyaloja of Edo Market. She declared, “We are saying no to the illegal inauguration of Iyaloja of Edo State. There is a law guiding the State Market Women Association. We are the authentic market women in Edo State, and I lead the association. This association has existed for several decades, right from the reign of Oba Akenzua II till the present Oba.”
Ogiamen emphasized the historical continuity of the leadership, stating that when a leader passes away, their assistant assumes command. She recounted that during the reign of Oba Erediauwa, the monarch had invited them to the palace and designated her to lead the market women association in Edo State, which has since experienced peace.
She insisted that the association is non-political, asserting, “We are not politicians; we are voters. We support any government in power. When Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was the governor, we supported him throughout his tenure. We supported Lucky Igbinedion, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, and this government. That is how we have been piloting the affairs without crisis.”
Ogiamen expressed her concerns over the purported plans to install a different president for the Edo State Market Women Association, reinforcing that the Oba of Benin serves as their grand patron and the governor as their patron. According to her, the association’s constitution dictates that a leader can only be removed by death, reaffirming that their operations remain apolitical
