Economic life in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, was briefly disrupted on Thursday as scores of young residents took to the streets in protest against what they described as the “exploitative and fraudulent practices” of house agents operating across the state.
The protest, which began at the popular Freedom Park before advancing to Olaiya Junction and other major streets, saw a mass of mostly students and young tenants chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Say No to Fraudulent House Agents,” “Housing Agency Should Be Regulated,” and “Enough is Enough.”
The demonstrators accused house agents and caretakers of demanding exorbitant rents and illegal fees under the guise of property management, thereby making decent accommodation unaffordable for the average citizen.
While speaking, a protester, Rafiu Olalekan, a student at a tertiary institution in Osun, said, “We pay through our noses just to rent a room. After rent, they demand agreement, caution, inspection, and several unnamed charges. It’s becoming unbearable. House agents are enriching themselves by exploiting people.”
Another protester, Bimbo Adebayo, lamented that many young people are now at the mercy of caretakers who, in some cases, collect as much as half of a year’s rent just in unofficial charges.
“It’s robbery dressed as business,” she said.
Recall that the Osun State chapter of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria had, during a recent press conference in Osogbo, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government and House of Assembly, urging immediate action to regulate the real estate sector.
Speaker of the group, Fatomi Hammed, while addressing journalists, said, “This is beyond a matter of inconvenience; it is now a full-blown crisis. House agents and landlords are operating unchecked, manipulating a broken system to extort struggling citizens.”
Meanwhile, a ray of hope may be on the horizon as a bill to regulate the practice of estate agency in Osun is currently before the State House of Assembly.
Sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Kofoworola Babajide, the bill proposes the establishment of an Estate Agency Regulatory Authority with powers to license, monitor, and sanction practitioners.
According to the draft, the authority will maintain a register of licensed agents, investigate complaints, and crack down on unlicensed operations.
It will also collect and analyse property data to promote transparency in the sector.
Despite the move, protesters insist that legislative efforts must be fast-tracked and not left to gather dust.
“The law must come swiftly and be enforced strictly. Otherwise, this extortion will continue unabated,” said Adeyinka Oyeleke, another protester.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
