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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Following the insistence of the organised labour to embark on indefinite nationwide strike on Tuesday, Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, has appealed to the leadership of both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve the planned strike and explore ways of resolving the vexatious issues.
This was contained in the Independence Day message made available to the media by the monarch through his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola, on Saturday.
Recall that the workers’ unions have announced that its members will commence an indefinite strike on Tuesday over the deplorable conditions of living of the generality of Nigerians, which was aggravated by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
Oba Balogun also enjoined the government not to overstretch the people, saying that there must be tangible measures to reassure the people that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu is truly for real.
In the message, in which he congratulated President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, governors, NASS members, political leaders and the generality of Nigerians, Oba Balogun urged the labour leaders to prevail on their members to bear with the present administration with the mindset that no problem could be solved with another problem.
“I plead for dialogue between the labour and the government and in dialoguing, 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 (ASUU) 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 added.
Olubadan, who acknowledged the position of the labour movement oover the plight of workers and the generality of the people, noted that, “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 in view of what it inherited. Let’s be optimistic that with time, the situation would become normal.”
“The president is a man of his words and there’s 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 said.
Asking the president and his team to come up with some urgent decisions and actions that would cushion the effect of some of the already rolled-out policies, Oba Balogun reminded the leaders to know that human endurance is not limitless and should not stretch Nigerians beyond the limit.
“As somebody at advantage position, having been a member of the National Assembly in the past, I can understand and appreciate the pains leaders go through when things seem not working according to expectation and plan, it is part of leadership prize. In a critical situation like this, leaders need divine touch, understanding and compassion on the part of the people and God will guide us right,” he said.
Olubadan congratulated Nigerians on this year’s Independence Day anniversary and enjoined all to be thankful to God for keeping the country together, irrespective of the myriad of challenges the nation has encountered and still encountering
“Looking back, at 63, we may be tempted to write ourselves off as a nation for not having attained the expected and commensurate height, but, if we think deeply, we will see the need to appreciate and acknowledge the divine touch of God in the affairs of the country and for which I felicitate all.
“Let’s remain optimistic, committed and steadfast with unshakeable faith in God for a better and prosperous nation that all of us would be proud of once again. Happy Independence Day Anniversary,” Oba Balogun added.