Bodija Market

Bodija Market is a popular open-air market located in Bodija, a district in Ibadan North local government of Oyo State, South Western Nigeria.^[1] Reputable to be the hub for the sales and distribution of cattle and livestock in Oyo State, the market is populated by Hausa and Yoruba traders and has thus led to several inter-ethnic conflict in recent years.^[2]

The market was established in October 1987. Its establishment came as a result of growth and overcrowding at the Orita Merin foodstuff market in Ibadan. The Oyo State government under the military administration of Tunji Olurin then relocated many food stuff traders from Orita Merin to the new Bodija market in 1987. Along with the produce traders, cattle sellers from Sango, Ibadan were also relocated to the market. The location of the market is close to the Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin interstate road network. This allows produce farmers from Northern Nigeria and from Northern Oyo state easier access to transport their produce to the market. Also, a timber market exist in close proximity to Bodija. The design of the market is such that each produce such as pepper, beans, rice and yam has its own rows of stalls.^[3] The market is a mixture of open space trading and concrete and wooden stalls. A lot of wholesalers grativate towards ownership of the concrete stalls while retailers own most of the open space kiosks and trading locations.

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