- Olubadan urged the labor leaders to reconsider the planned strike and seek alternative ways to resolve the pressing issues
On Saturday, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, appealed to both the Nigeria Labour Congress and its Trade Union Congress counterpart to exercise caution regarding their scheduled nationwide strike starting on Tuesday, October 3.
He also urged the Federal Government to consider the strain on Nigerians.
Following an inconclusive meeting between the labor union and the Federal Government, the unions called for a nationwide strike to commence next week.
In his 63rd Independence Day Anniversary statement, conveyed by his media assistant, Oladele Ogunsola, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Olubadan urged the labor leaders to reconsider the planned strike and seek alternative ways to resolve the pressing issues.
He said, “I want to plead with the workers’ unions and urge the government not to overstretch the people. There must be tangible measures to reassure the people that the renewed hope agenda is truly for real.
“I plead for dialogue between the labour and government. There should be openness and understanding, bearing in mind that where two elephants fight, it is the grass there that suffers. Let’s be mindful of the effect of total paralysis on our battered economy. Consider the sick, consider the students from our nursery school to the university among several others that would bear the brunt. The loss is simply incalculable.
“I want our labour leaders to cast their minds back to the last prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the effect on our students. How do we compensate for the loss of a whole academic session in the lives of the affected students? Such loss is eternal because it is not possible to wind back the hand of the clock. That’s just an example.” The monarch pleaded.
Balogun acknowledged the position of the labour movement vis-a-viz the plight of workers and the generality of the people, adding “Things are really bad and living in the country becoming hellish for the people day by day, but, we need to apply caution, considering the short time of the present administration so far and given what it inherited. Let’s be optimistic that with time, the situation will become normal.
“The President, Bola Tinubu, is a man of his word and there is no reason to doubt his ability and capability to deliver on his campaign promises. Let’s give him more time and equally assist him with prayers. Very soon, I strongly believe we would be seeing the glimpses of the renewed hope promised Nigerians before the election.” Olubadan promised.
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