It’s exactly two years today, when the ancient Akesan market, also known as Oja Oba, located at the centre of Oyo town and few metres to the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, was engulfed by a midnight fire on Sunday, January 5, 2020, consuming all shops and goods worth hundreds of millions.
Many shops were reduced to ashes, shattering hopes of traders and marketers who lost fortunes to the inferno.
Three days later, Gov. ‘Seyi Makinde visited the market, taking responsibility for the failure of the fire service to contain the fire, and while sympathising with the victims, he assured them of his administration’s goal to rebuild Akesan as a new modern market.
Seven months after, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo state in August 2020, fulfilled his promises and flagged off the reconstruction of an ultra-modern Akesan market complex, Oyo town.
By Friday, June 4, 2021, Gov. Makinde commissioned the newly reconstructed ultra-modern Akesan market in Oyo town, declaring that the development would boost the state’s economy, assuring marketers of soft loans, and equitable allocation of stalls.
Today, the newly transformed market now comprises of 528 lock-up shops; 163 open shops; 3 warehouses; 1 cold room; a police post; an administrative block; a clinic; two toilet blocks; two car parks and four water hydrants, with industrial boreholes and proper road network.