Chapter 2 situates the book in the context of market associations in Lagos. It describes the structure of private trade associations around the world, and how such associations are organized in Lagos today, as well as their historical role. The chapter shows that the internal organization of trade associations is remarkably similar around the world; even specific executive positions like public relations officers can be found across continents. It demonstrates that within Lagos, there is only minor variation in the formal titles of association executives; the general structure of these groups is uniform. In the context of Lagos markets, the chapter shows how governments can meddle in the affairs of private associations, and how associations can counter these efforts. Chapter 1 outlined the theoretical importance of government intrusion in private groups. This chapter demonstrates, concretely, how these threats affect associations.