Research Master Thesis
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“The market is free!”: Understanding gender and ethnicity in the marketplace in Lagos Miriam Siun Master thesis in African Studies Supervisor: Dr. Mayke Kaag African Studies Centre Second reader: Dr. André Leliveld Leiden University !1 “The market is free!”: Understanding gender and ethnicity in the marketplace in Lagos Miriam Siun M A S T E R T H E S I S SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS AT LEIDEN UNIVERSITY SUPERVISED BY DR. MAYKE KAAG AND SECOND READER DR. ANDRÉ LELIVELD African Studies Centre Leiden 2017 !2 Abstract “The market is free!”: Understanding gender and ethnicity in the marketplace in Lagos Miriam Siun Market women in Southern West Africa have a long tradition of being in charge of market governance. In the case of Southwest Nigeria, their authority has been institutionalized through the title of ‘Iyaloja’ (market executive). This type of market governance with women leaders is particular to the Yoruba people. The context of Lagos, however makes for a city that is predominately Yoruba, but has heterogeneous markets. Many of the non-Yoruba traders are men, which dominates trading in specific commodities, e.g., agricultural produce. While the ‘traditional’ Yoruba form of market governance remains as the predominant system in Lagos, newer actors are augmenting the established system by leveraging external networks, like the case of members of the Arewa Perishable Goods, who have their separate associations despite being part of markets under Yoruba women’s sphere of influence. The study analyses market governance, dynamics and politics in three different markets in Lagos through interviews, focus groups, and secondary-sources. Balogun market is one of the biggest (textile) and most well-known markets in the city. It is also predominately female. Mile 12 is another large market, with one section Arewa Perishable Goods, being run by an exclusively male and predominately Hausa leadership. This section of the market is essential for food supply in Lagos [with much trade with other neighboring countries as well]. The last market is Dada Genla — a small, food stuffs market on the periphery of Lagos. This market was recently developed and presents a case which illustrates the importance of diversity in the success of markets. This thesis contributes to the increasingly intersectional work on markets and networks in Africa. The study is named “The market is free!” which is a quote from an interview with a male market leader. While he stressed that anyone can enter the market to trade, this study shows that ethnic and gender relations in markets are highly complex as it to some extent is a space that allows for a plurality of actors, but is simultaneously not as ’free’ as he suggested. Keywords: Networks; Nigeria; Gender; Ethnicity; Market Governance !3 CONTENTS Lists of maps and tables 7 Dedication 8 Acknowledgements 9 Maps 11 List of acronyms 13 CHAPTER ONE 14 INTRODUCTION 14 1.1 Introduction 14 1.2 Background 18 Women as market leaders 18 ‘Migrant’ traders in the South-west 20 1.3. Research objectives 20 1.4 Research questions 22 1.5 Structure of thesis 23 CHAPTER TWO 25 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2. Networks: social and migration network theory 27 Social networks 28 Migration networks 29 2.3 Intersectionality: focus on gender and ethnicity 30 Gender 31 Ethnicity 34 Intersectionality 37 Agency 38 Defining power and authority (in the marketplace) 39 2.4. Legacies, linkages and localities 40 Legacies 40 Linkages 40 Localities 41 2.5 Conclusion 41 !4 CHAPTER THREE 42 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 42 3.1 Introduction 42 3.2 Methodology and methods 44 Methods 46 Data analysis 48 3.3 Case selection and context of study 49 Balogun Market 50 Dada Genla Market 52 Arewa Perishable Goods in Mile 12 54 3.4 Ethical considerations 58 3.5 Conclusion 59 CHAPTER FOUR 61 MARKET DYNAMICS 61 4.1 Introduction 61 4.2 Gender and trading 62 4.3 Market entry 64 4.4 Strategic relations 69 4.5 Conclusion 71 CHAPTER FIVE 75 MARKET GOVERNANCE 75 5.1 Introduction 75 5.2 Iyalojas, Babalojas and Chairmen 76 Iyalojas 76 Babalojas 80 Chairmen 82 5.3 Associations 84 5.4 Overlapping associations 85 5.5 Conclusion 88 CHAPTER SIX 89 MARKET POLITICS 89 6.1 Introduction 89 6.2. The state versus the market 90 !5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 94 6.3 The ’Mega-city’ project 100 6.4 The issue of power 104 6.5 Conclusion 105 CHAPTER SEVEN 107 CONCLUSION 107 7.1 Introduction 107 7.2 Findings 107 MARKET DYNAMICS 107 MARKET GOVERNANCE 108 MARKET POLITICS 109 7.3 ANALYSIS 110 IMPACT OF CHOICES 110 7.4 Recommendations for future research 111 7.5 Conclusion 111 REFERENCES 113 !6 List of figures and tables Figure 1.1 Market administration’s hierarchal structure Page 16 Figure 3.1 Balogun Market Page 51 Figure 3.2 Dada Genla Market Page 53 Figure 3.3 Off-loaded onion shipment section Page 56 Figure 3.4 Foodstuffs market in Mile 12 Page 57 Figure 4.1 Excerpt from APG’s books for December 2016 Page 74 Figure 5.1 Overview of the market executive committee Page 77 Figure 5.2 Overview of commodities sectional committee Page 78 Figure 5.3 Overview of the APG executive committee Page 83 Figure 6.1 Governor Akinwumbi Ambode in Alausa Page 103 Figure 6.2 Aftermath of the demolition of Sabo Market in Ikorodu Page 107 Table 3.1 Participants according to gender Page 51 Table 3.2 Participants according to ethnicity Page 52 Table 6.1 Overview of taxes paid according to government body Page 101 Table 6.2 Objectives of the Lagos State Development Plan Page 104 !7 Dedication For Ghenet !8 Acknowledgements This study is based on fieldwork carried out in Lagos, Nigeria for six months, between August 2016 and January 2017. The fieldwork was financed by Leiden University’s Curatorenfonds and the Uhlenbeck Scholarship, who I owe a great deal of thanks. My supervisor Dr. Mayke Kaag has been supportive of my study from its initial proposal stages to the completion of this thesis. She, together with Dr André Leliveld have both provided useful feedback throughout the research process. In Leiden I would also like to thank African Studies Centre librarian Ella Verkaik for always assisting me in acquiring material that I’ve requested which were not part of the library’s inventory. I’m also very thankful for Inge Ligtvoet at Leiden University who introduced me to her friends in Nigeria and was very supportive of my fieldwork. The fieldwork which this thesis is based on would have been impossible without a number of people in Nigeria. I’m indebted to Adetokunbo Lawrence, who not only welcomed me to Lagos, but also helped me find housing, and connected me to Iyaloja Madame Bello who later became a key person in this study. I’m thankful for the helpfulness of lecturers at the University of Ibadan (UI). I spent two weeks in Ibadan with Professor Ayobami Ojebode and his family. I’m thankful for their kind welcoming when I first arrived in Nigeria. I’m also thankful for Dr Seunfunmi Olutayo at UI who provided me with literature and also assisted in arranging my journey from Ibadan to Lagos. In Lagos, (late) Dimeji Ajikobi at the University of Lagos connected me to two key figures in the research process. Without his kindness and helpfulness I would not have been able to meet these people and would have had a harder time in integrating in Balogun Market. May he rest in peace. Moreover, Mr Ajikobi’s good friend (honorable) Adekunle Alli not only granted me an interview and provided me with insights, he also allowed me to use archival material from his personal collection on Lagos history. I’m very grateful for his assistance. During my initial field visits I was partially assisted by students at the University of Lagos: Williams Oluwaseun accompanied me during the initial scoping process and ensured that I found my way around town. Oyindamola Abike was instrumental in introducing me to her mother and relatives who are traders in Balogun Market. !9 I’m extremely thankful for all the insight and help bestowed on me by Suleimon Adeoye at Balogun Market. I met with Suleimon regularly during my visits at Balogun. He showed me around the market and introduced me to several traders that were later interviewed. Needless to say, this study would have been impossible without the openness and friendliness of the research participants. I’m thankful for all those who participated, and assisted me in understanding their lived realities. Lastly, I’m very thankful for my family and friends. I’m especially thankful for Lemlem Kibreab, and her family and Koye Oyeyinka and his family. They’ve all supported me in all my endeavors and cheered me on during the write up. Finally, I’d like to thank my mother Ghenet Hailemelekot, to whom this thesis is dedicated. Leiden, July 2017 M.S !10 Maps Map 1 Overview of the 20 local government areas in Lagos Source: Gidiguide.com !11 Map 2 Nigeria divided according to six regional zones Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/51795009_fig1_Fig-1-Map-of-Nigeria-showing-the- six-6-geopolitical-zones-For-interpretation-of-the !12 List of acronyms ACMWAMN Association of Commodity Market Women and Men Nigeria AG Action Group APC All Progressive Congress APG Arewa Perishable Goods LAWMA Lagos State Waste Management Authority LGA Local Government Area LMWA Lagos Market Women’s Association LSDP Lagos State Development Plan LSG Lagos State Government NNDP Nigerian National Democratic Party NOAS National Open Apprenticeship Scheme NWSN Network for Women’s Studies in Nigeria PDP People’s Democratic Party UPN Unity Party of Nigeria WIN Women in Nigeria !13 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION “The market is free!” - Babaloja Alhaji Shokunbi at Shitta Court, 2016 1.1 Introduction West African countries Coté D’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria have a long history of women in long-distance trade (Robertson, 1979).