Otiudu Market

The Deserted Otiudu Market

It was once the busiest market in the local community.  People came from other villages, towns, far and near to buy and sell in the Otiudu Market. 

It was booming and Lokpanta was known by all the neighbouring towns because of the famous market. 

This was good for Lokpanta but one thing wasn't quite right,  the main business people in this market were unknown to the people of Lokpa. 

It was a mystery that needed to be unravelled. The people of Lokpanta met night and day,  they asked questions but no one knew who they were. 

No one really knows how the market came to be but one thing was certain,  the sellers were foreigners and they had no right to be so successful without paying any form of homage to the owners of the land. 

Then came the rumour that the Otiudu market sellers were not ordinary human beings, they had tails like monkeys.  No wonder they never stood up from their stools till they left and no-one ever saw when they arrived or left the market. They also never interracted with anyone but themselves except it was to sell their wares. 

Lokpanta people came up with a plan,  in the middle of the night they laced the market stools with some palm tree produce which attracted soldier ants. 

While the market was it's busiest,  the soldier ants got to work and the sellers got up from their stools one after the other. Truly they had tails and everyone watched in amazement. 

As they left the market,  they placed a curse on Otiudu; never will the market function again. No business will ever flourish in it and Otiudu will cease to be known. 

Ever since, no business has ever succeeded in Otiudu market. Lokpanta has tried a uncountable times to revive the market all to no avail.  It remains a dead spot till date.

Mother told us this story. It definitely sounds like a myth but I just love such grandmother tales.