Rumpus In Osogbo LG Secretariat
Nov 21st, 2009 | By admin | Category: NEWS•Police, Thugs Spirit Chairman Out Amidst Workers’ Protest
Tension was high at Osogbo Local Government Council secretariat, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, Osun State last Friday as workers of the council locked up the council chairman, Mr. Teslim Igbalaye inside his office over his failure to pay their leave allowances.
The protesting workers locked the gate leading to the council secretariat and the main entrance into the council’s administrative office, as members of staff crowded the pathway to the chairman’s office chanting abusive songs.
It was gathered that Igbalaye who doubles the ALGON chairman has been owing the council workers leave bonuses since March up till October, while he had promised to pay them last week.
However, when on Friday, the workers did not see any sign of payment, they decided to address the issue with the council boss, who ignored them, saying he was not ready to pay.
This, according to investigation, led to a protest as workers from all departments joined in the protest, calling the politician names.
When OSUN DEFENDER visited the council secretariat, the gate was closed with a police patrol vehicle from Oja-Oba Police Division parked across the gate.
Other vehicles, were seen parked outside the gate with a view to ascertaining what was going on.
On entering the council secretariat, gun-carrying policemen were seen waiting at the main entrance, while political thugs were struggling with some members of staff, in a bid to spirit the chairman out of the secretariat.
Later, Igbalaye was led out of his office by rough–looking thugs, who were shouting on top of their voices “protect the chairman” while the policemen were playing second-fiddle roles, by displaying their weapons.
He (Igbalaye) was guarded to the entrance gate, where his jeep was parked to convey him amidst protest and shouting by the workers before he was eventually led away by the thugs.
Some of the workers were heard saying the chairman was allowed to leave because the council’s Director of Finance had addressed them that their salaries would be paid on Monday.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the workers were protesting that their November salary should be paid to allow them have money to celebrate the coming Eid-el-kabir before he (Igbalaye) embarked on his intending holy pilgrimage.
The medium further learnt that as at the time of the protest on Friday, the embattled chairman had not signed the voucher with which their salary would be paid.
The council secretariat was however deserted as at 12 noon on Friday, as all workers were charged to go to their various homes, as the head of service in the council disclosed that she could not guarantee their safety, believing that the chairman’s political thugs might come back for their pound of flesh, as a result of the embarrassment caused the chairman.
Before the workers vacated the secretariat, they vowed to make the council ungovernable for the political office holders, who they accused of misappropriating the council fund to their detriment.
It was also gathered that the council has no money in its accounts to settle the protesting workers, as its revenue had already been exhausted on other projects.
However, while the protest was going on, a female supervisory councilor drove into the council secretariat in a public transport with all sorts of juice drinks, the workers descended on her, shouting thief!!!, but for the smartness of the driver, the contents of the vehicle would have been destroyed.
Some of Igbalaye’s thugs and councilors were also over-heard saying the manner with which the workers decided to embarrass the chairman, was the handiwork of the Action Congress (AC) whom they accused of sabotaging Igbalaye’s effort.
By kazeem Mohammed and shina abubakar
fatai (476)
muideenshina (310)
Tejumola Lateef A... (257)
Babamatto (244)
Comrade Nurain Ad... (171)
Mustapha Adebayo (164)
Adegboyega semiu (154)
Moshood Oni (147)
Olufemi Longe (133)
OYELEYE E.A(WARD ... (120)
Bello Jamiu (106)
kareem lukuman (94)
Balogun Mawuton(B... (80)
Alao Adediran (70)
laolu (51)
ayobami ogunleye(... (50)
Omolebi (41)
weightloss pills (33)
Rabb Adebiyi (26)
toyin (16)
Labourers, they say, deserves his/her pay promptly/timely. I am using this medium to appeal to the Chairman in the name of God and whatever he believe, if he did not want to be denied of his rights and entitlements by God using people that are more powerful than him.
Sincerely speaking, I detest political office holders (both elected and appointed) blaming their opponents (whether in the opposing party or the same party) for their action(s) or inaction(s) which they and they alone have control and responsibility over. They should learn to act appropriately and accept esponsibility for their action(s) o lack of it.
@ Fashola…. appealing to the chairman will fall deaf on his ears.
This is one of the set of people that thwarted the peoples choice/mandate in Osun.
They’ve murdered sleep and will surely pay for it.
Please continue to make the council ungovernable and make sure he does not know peace. They are lavishing the council money on all sort of irrelevant things and refused to pay the workers as at when due. Call it sabotage or whatever, accuse AC or whatever party for your predicament, the truth is that you are the cause of your embarrassment and you will continue to witness such, “Eyin a lai loju ti, aku mo moju di yi”
This is what I have been telling these workers long before now. They were being deceived by PDP that Eng Rauf Aregbesola would sack them if he was declared winner of the 2007 election. What has PDP done for them? Only those who are working for them are benefiting from their loots. Others depend only on their salaries that are not adequate. Yet, they are moving and boasting around accusing opposition for their own hand-made problems and failures. Who is then a failure?
I cannot say what they look for is what they see now bcos Osogbo people they not vote for them at all, they just got there by all means, so the workers should look for the forward to get their right through their leaders, if their leader will not deceived them. God will surely send all these unGod fearing out of the office very soon.all the osun state local government executives their real thief.
It will be good enough if the workers could maintain their stands and voice out with one voice if not, this so called Chairman will continue to play on them.
They should make the Local Govt un-governable for him and his cohorts.
A laborer deserves his/her wages, so why for God sake is the chairman denying these poor workers their take-home that can not take them home? That is not even up to what he collects has miscellaneous? God give us men!!!!!!
May be he want to use the workers leave allowance for their weekend meriment at MICOM GOLF.
OYELEYE E.A (WARD 4,ILESA EAST LOCAL GOVT)´s last blog ..PDP: ENOUGH OF THIS CHICANERY