Oba Abodunrin Kofoworola, the Aare of Ago-Are in Oyo State, said that the recent relocation of the Ago-Are Cattle Market had the approval of the Oyo State Government.
According to Oba Kofoworola, stakeholders’ decision to relocate the market was contained in a letter sent by the Atisbo South Local Council Development Area caretaker chairman to the commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development on October 16, 2017, referenced ATSSLCDA/86/T1/1.
The monarch said the ministry, in a letter dated 6th November, 2017 and signed by Dr Ibitoye M.M on behalf of the commissioner with reference number VD 851/4, granted approval of the relocation.
He said, “The news of the approval was greeted with joy by all stakeholders save for those at the helms of affairs at the council level who were supposed to implement the order. There is another letter dated 3rd June, 2020 referenced VD 851/11 and signed by P.A Adegunwa for the commissioner, requesting the immediate relocation of the market. Then what government order do we act against if I may ask the publisher of that falsehood?”
The Ago-Are Cattle Market, he said, was established with the approval of the government and allocation of market land by the then Aare of Ago-Are, Oba Adesope Oyeniran.
The decision to relocate the market, he added, was informed by population explosion and close proximity of the market to residential houses.
He said, “The cattle dealers association, Fulani’s Bororo’s, Hausa’s etc met to discuss on the relocation and the resolution reached at the meeting was passed to Kabiyesi, the Aare of Ago-Are land in a meeting around September, 2016.
“At another meeting which had the Kabiyesi, community executives, local government chairman and staff, the market stakeholders (cattle dealers, Fulani’s, Bororo’s, Hausa’s, Yoruba’s etc.) in attendance. It was resolved to relocate the market to Onibeji area, along Okaka Road, Ago-Are.”
