Deji of Akure orders closure of markets, shops for festival

Deji of Akure orders closure of markets, shops for festival

*Only pharmaceutical and patent medicine stores are allowed to open.

The Deji of Akure, Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has ordered the closure of markets and shops in the Ondo capital on Monday, in observance of an age-long Aheregbe festival.

A statement from the Palace of the Deji, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Adeyeye Michael, on Saturday, said only pharmaceutical and other patent medicine stores would be allowed to open.

“The closure becomes necessary as part of the age long tradition in observance of the annual Aheregbe Festival,” the statement said.

“The Palace wishes to inform residents that no trading or opening of shops under any guise will be allowed during the festival.

“It is imperative to clarify that ONLY Pharmacy shops and Patent Medicine Stores will be allowed to open during the festival.

“Residents, Market Women and shop owners are kindly enjoined to comply with this directive.

“However, the festival will not restrict both human and vehicular movement.”

The monarch also directed the Isikan Market be closed, though Isikan had has always declared its independence from Akure Kingdom.

The war over Isikan has been age-long, as the Deji of Akure claims authority over the area, a posture that the Isikan traditional rulers detest.

In September last year, the monarch had also ordered the closure of the markets and shops to mourn the late Adedayo Omolafe, who represented the Akure South/North Federal Constituency.

The order angered market women and traders who felt the closure of businesses by the monarch at regularly intervals was becoming irksome.

The monarch had also reversed himself on the closure order in 2020 on the grounds that there was the need to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.