Aragbiji Bans Street Hawking Of Phone Accessories In Iragbiji

…Directs dealers to operate from identifiable shops

The Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi, has banned the hawking of phone accessories in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, directing dealers to operate from identifiable shops.

The monarch issued the directive following a visit by a delegation of phone accessories traders to his palace, where they reportedly sought his intervention over repeated attacks on their businesses by suspected robbers.

The traders were said to have complained that criminals had been attacking their shops and carting away goods, prompting the monarch to introduce measures aimed at improving security and accountability in the trade.

In a video obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, Oba Olabomi directed all phone accessories dealers in the town to establish shops and provide verifiable residential addresses.

He said the directive was intended to ensure that traders could be identified and traced whenever security-related issues arose.

“From today, anybody who wants to sell phone accessories in Iragbiji must have a shop. It might even be a wooden shop, but you must have one, and we must also know where you live,” the monarch said.

Oba Olabomi acknowledged that some traders offered phone accessories at relatively cheaper prices, noting that residents should also have access to affordable products.

“We know Igbo traders’ goods are a bit cheaper, and we want our people to benefit from that, but you must have a shop,” he added.

The monarch explained that the directive followed concerns raised about the activities of itinerant traders who reportedly converged on the town’s weekly market, Oja Alamisi, to sell phone accessories using wheelbarrows.

According to him, the large number of traders operating without identifiable business locations could make it difficult for security agencies and community authorities to trace individuals when incidents occurred.

He cited information provided by the chairman of the phone accessories sellers, who reportedly said about 50 traders usually came to the market on weekly market days to sell their goods using wheelbarrows.

“If anything happens, how will we trace them?” the monarch asked, stressing the need for traders to maintain identifiable business premises.

He reiterated that the directive would apply to anyone wishing to sell phone accessories in Iragbiji, regardless of the type of shop established.

The measure, according to the monarch, is aimed at strengthening security and ensuring greater accountability among operators in the phone accessories business within the community.