After nearly a decade of fiery silence, Benin’s iconic Oba Market is staging a spectacular comeback — with a modern twist and a firm promise from Governor Monday Okpebholo to get it done, no ifs or buts.
Edo State’s Governor Monday Okpebholo has rolled up his sleeves and got hands-on with the reconstruction of the historic Oba Market, which was left in ruins by fire almost ten years ago. The excited traders, long starved of hope by unmet promises, greeted him like a hero reborn. Okpebholo, championing the Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, vowed to deliver not just a rebuilt market, but a sleek, mall-style commercial hub — complete with restaurants, a crèche, sick bay, and even a mini fire station to ward off future disasters.
“This market has slept for ten years, but it’s waking up under my watch,” Okpebholo declared. And the contractor’s timeline? June 2026 — though the Governor hinted at pushing for an earlier finish.
Project manager Aneru Izuagbe laid out the grand plan: 450 open stalls on the ground floor and lock-up shops above for fashion, electronics, and more, all designed with trader welfare and safety front and centre.
The message: no displacement, just uplift. Edo people’s money, for Edo people’s prosperity. Traders’ livelihoods aren’t just returning—they’re upgrading.
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