Owode Onirin Motor Spare Parts and Metal Market, Agboyi-Ketu, Kosofe Federal Constituency – Jubilation filled the air as Honourable Kafilat Ogbara, Member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Kosofe Federal Constituency, paid a deeply emotional visit to the devastated Owode Onirin Motor Spare Parts and Metal Market, bringing with her a renewed sense of hope and assurance to thousands of affected traders.
On April 20, 2025, Ogbara arrived at the market in Agboyi-Ketu to commiserate with traders whose lives and businesses were upended by two back-to-back tragedies. Thousands of shops were demolished at the Motor Spare Parts section of the market following an enforcement by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and over 600 shops were subsequently destroyed in a fire outbreak at the adjacent Metal Market—incidents that left the community reeling from losses estimated to be over N3 billion and claimed the lives of three individuals.
For the grieving and economically shattered traders, Hon. Ogbara’s visit was more than a political courtesy—it was a balm to open wounds. She moved through the ruins of burnt and demolished shops, listening attentively to the cries of the people, and assuring them that their pain had reached the federal stage.
“I am here today not just as your representative in Abuja, but as a fellow citizen of Agboyi-ketu here in Kosofe Federal Constituency, standing with you in grief, standing with you in strength. What happened here is heartbreaking, but we will not let this be the end of your stories,” Ogbara declared passionately, drawing cheers, ululations, and emotional applause from the crowd.
Her words ignited a wave of jubilation among traders who had felt abandoned in the wake of their losses. “Her coming lifted our spirits,” said Chief Saheed, a trader who lost everything in the fire. “She didn’t just talk—she showed she cares.”
Market leader Abiodun Hammed confirmed that Ogbara pledged to escalate the traders’ demands for compensation, justice, and rebuilding efforts directly to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the appropriate federal agencies. “She came with empathy and a promise of action,” he said. “That’s the kind of leadership we’ve been praying for.”
Ogbara’s visit marked the first time a federal representative had physically stood with the traders since the tragic events. Her connection with the people—walking side by side with them through the debris, sharing hugs, and offering heartfelt words—was met with overwhelming gratitude.
“She’s the first person in power who came here and truly made us feel like our suffering mattered,” said Wasiu Adeyemi, a spare parts dealer. “For the first time since the fire and demolition, we feel hopeful.”
As Kosofe Federal Constituency continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Owode Onirin disasters, many see Ogbara’s intervention as a sign of genuine leadership—one that goes beyond politics and touches the heart of the people.
Her presence may not undo the damage, but for a market once silenced by grief, her visit has sparked a renewed sense of solidarity and belief in recovery. For the resilient people of Owode Onirin, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara has given them a reason to believe again.
