By Brown Chimezie
Oscar Paul Odogwu is the new president of Balogun Business Association (BBA), International Trade fair Lagos. In this interview, Odogwu set out his agenda on how to transform the market as number one business center in Trade fair complex.
Inauguration as President of Balogun Business Association (BBA),We thank God actually that we were inaugurated on November 22, 2023. Yes, we had election 2021 but we had some issues actually. But to cut it short, we secured court judgment that brought me into power. I don’t want to g o into details. It is left for the court to do the needful.
Can you tell us some of your agendas?
Sure during my speech, I virtually told everyone that we will never in any way witch hunt anybody. Our government will be all encompassing. Everybody must have to participate. It is a unity government because the damages are enormous. We had to reconcile and at the same time for us in every way possible to restore the market back to its position as number one market in the Trade Fair. We want to bring back the glory of this complex. We use to be Number1 in the trade fair before things went wrong. We shall do everything possible to take over our number 1 position in the complex. And I know that the masses are in our support. You can see the joy in everyone face.
This is evidence that we genuinely won the election. We would move on in order to take this association to the next level. That is what I aspire for. At the same time, I would not deviate from my campaign manifesto.
Defiantly, I would solve the problems, one after the order. We need to clean up the environment because it is in a deep mess. That was why LAWMA came the other time and lock up the market for one week. But now we have started. The cleaning exercise has commenced today. All thru the weekend, we have to clean up the complex and free the drainages. Whenever it rains here, the flood is enormous. It inconvenience our customers and at the same time, the traders. So we shall do our best to put things in order. There is no electricity in the complex for the past 3 years. So we must find ways around it ‘because looking good as they say is good business.’ This has been my motto and I will try to attain this goals. I can’t do it alone. I have called on all the stakeholders in the market for them to rise up to the challenge. ‘Let’s go’ is not one man journey. It has to be in multitude. Actually they are in full support of this administration.
After struggling for 3 years to attain your mandate as the president, do you really feel that the struggle worth it?
The whole struggle is justice for the masses. November 22, was the first time I stepped into the complex after almost 3 year but the fight worth it because I have to fight for the masses and together, we won.
With God, all things are possible to the surprise of the defunct caretaker committee. They were inaugurate to function for only 2 months buy ended up spending 3 years instating several court case. God that searches whole heart made it happened.
When you look at access road into this market, do you really feel that it befits market of this standard?
No. It has always been in my manifesto. When we stablise, we have to meet Trade fair management Board and at the same time the stake holders we have close to 14 market associations in the market. We shall put heads together to know permanent solutions to this problem sincerely the access road is not befitting to this international market So defiantly, we must have to do something urgently. Meanwhile palliative measures would be taken. When we meet with Trade Fair management board, then we know what to do to solve the problem permanently. The Director is a kind and gentle woman and I know she would heed to our pleas.
So when you look at the masses comprising traders and stakeholders who put hope on you, what should they be expecting from you within the first 100 days?
Yes transformation. Defiantly, we have started with the cleanup exercise. 100 days, surely we are going to use corporate Social Responsibility to accelerate our efforts to restore sanity in the market. We have the banks. We are contacting them already and they are eager to meet with us. We need to make them take responsibility because they have to give back to the society. Ant the many multinational companies that sell their goods here also have to help us.
Even before you became Vice President of this association, you promote sporting and other extracurricular activities, now without as president, what plans do you have to engage the youths in this complex?
Sure. I promised them that it will be yearly affairs but it was truncated. The youths needed to be happy so that they can bring out their best in service to humanity. So we shall return the annual BBA football tournament to promote healthy sportsmanship among our youths in the market.
In this struggle are there some stakeholders that you want to mention for their contributions to your victory?
Surely I want to commend my group, the integrity group, I want to also salute the BOT, the likes of Chief Okey Ezibe, Ike Obiorah and my former president Chief Alex Obi Odunukwe. Chief Odunukwe has really done noble. I was 2nd vice president to him when the secretariat was built and commissioned. He is a dogged fighter and that’s why we were able to achieve all this. I also commend the electoral body for being free and fair even in the face of intimidations. Not to be forgotten also is Ikechukwu ( Iyke Delta) for his effort. Same thanks also go to all member of BBA for their prayers.
My appeal is for everyone to go about their business without any fear. The immediate members of CTC and their allies should feel free to return to the market to do their business, however, any attempt by anyone to take undue advantage of this olive branch to foment trouble will have the wrath of the law to contend with.