By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Gbagi, Ibadan, Oyo State -November 2, 2026
Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) senatorial candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, has donated N20 million to traders affected by the recent fire outbreak at the Bola-Ige International Business Complex, New Gbagi, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ajadi announced the financial support on Monday, November 2, 2026, during a visit to the market alongside the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Oyo State and Executive Chairman of Egbeda Local Government, Hon. Sikiru Oyedele Sanda; the lawmaker representing Egbeda State Constituency, Hon. Olasunkanmi Samson Babalola; and market leaders.
The delegation inspected the affected shops and sympathised with the traders, who reportedly lost goods and property worth millions of naira when fire gutted eight shops at the complex on Thursday, October 29.
The incident, which affected shops in the section between Ajegunle and Kudus areas, was reported to the Oyo State Fire Services Agency at 7:21 p.m. No casualty was recorded.
Speaking during the visit, Ajadi said the extent of the damage was greater than he had initially anticipated, adding that the losses suffered by the traders prompted him to provide immediate financial assistance.
“When we came here to inspect the fire incident that happened last week, we realised that the affected traders needed support. As we went around the affected shops, we discovered that the damage was beyond what we had imagined and that the traders had lost substantial amounts of money in their businesses,” he said.
Ajadi explained that the N20 million donation was a personal contribution intended to provide relief for the affected traders and help them begin the process of rebuilding their businesses.
“They are business people, and today, some of them have nothing left to show for the businesses they were running. That really touched us, and that is why I am supporting them financially with N20 million from my personal purse to provide some relief,” he said.
The APM candidate expressed gratitude that no life was lost in the incident and urged the Oyo State Government to take steps to assist the victims in recovering from their losses.
He also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, individuals and organisations to support the affected traders, stressing that collective assistance would help them return to business and restore their livelihoods.
“I believe the government will also do its best to ensure that the affected traders receive assistance to overcome the calamity they are facing. I am calling on the general public, especially well-meaning Nigerians, to come to their aid and help them get back on their feet because they have lost a huge amount of money,” Ajadi added.
Also speaking, Sanda described the incident as worrisome, particularly given the prevailing economic challenges facing traders and other Nigerians.
The ALGON chairman said his visit was aimed at assessing the damage and showing solidarity with the victims, while urging traders to exercise greater caution in managing fire risks as the dry season and ember months approach.
“Considering the state of the economy and the hardship in the country, we should not be experiencing something of this nature. We sympathise with the affected traders, and that is why we came here as quickly as possible to assess the situation,” Sanda said.
He added that the Oyo State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce had been informed of the incident and expressed confidence that the ministry would take appropriate steps to address the situation.
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Sanda further urged traders to adopt precautionary measures to prevent similar incidents, noting that fire outbreaks could deepen the financial difficulties of business owners already struggling with the economic situation.
In his remarks, Babalola said he was working to ensure that the plight of the affected traders received urgent attention from the state government through the legislative process.
The lawmaker explained that he had been pursuing a matter of urgent public importance to bring the incident before the Oyo State House of Assembly, with a view to securing appropriate government intervention for the victims.
“We are here with our senatorial candidate, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, and the ALGON chairman, Hon. Sikiru Oyedele Sanda, to inspect the situation. I have been working on a matter of urgent public importance to let the state government know about the incident through a resolution of the House, so that the executive can take appropriate action to support the affected traders,” Babalola said.
The Merit Newspaper reports that the Babaloja-General of Oyo State, Alhaji Y.K. Abass, commended Ajadi for the donation, describing the intervention as a significant gesture towards helping the affected traders recover from their losses.
Abass also appreciated Sanda and Babalola for joining the delegation to assess the damage and demonstrate concern for the market community.
“We appreciate the ALGON chairman, the member representing Egbeda State Constituency in the House of Assembly, and our incoming senator for Oyo Central, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, for coming to our aid by providing N20 million as relief for the affected traders in Gbagi Market,” he said.
The market leader assured the victims that efforts would continue to secure further assistance, expressing optimism that they would overcome the setback.
“I have always promised them that the government will come to their aid, and I am assuring them that, in the shortest possible time, they will overcome this problem,” Abass added.
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Similarly, the first Babaloja of the Bola-Ige International Business Complex, Alhaji Mukail Adebayo, expressed appreciation to Ajadi for the financial support and commended Sanda for his continued commitment to the market community.
Adebayo prayed for divine blessings and the fulfilment of the aspirations of both leaders, while expressing hope that the donation would help the affected traders begin the process of restoring their businesses.
