Comrade Jacob Adekomi is the Osun State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress. Currently in his second term in office, Adekomi, a local government worker, narrates in this interview with Osun Newsroom, the many factors that make the administration of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola the most worker-friendly government in the history of the over three-decade-old Osun State. Unarguably the youngest of all the labour leaders that ever held sway in labour struggles for Osun workers, the quiet and smooth talking but vibrant Adekomi crowns thid chat up with details of why Osun workers will stop at nothing to return Oyetola to Okefia Government House for another four years of good governance. Excerpts:
Osun Newsroom:
In the last three-and-a-half years, the relationship between the labour movement and the administration of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has been mutually strong, good and cohesive. There has never for once been an industrial unrest which is highly commendable. What could have been the factors that midwifed this industrial harmony?
NLC Chairman:
No clear-cut reason other than the fact that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is not only an Omoluabi but the most worker-friendly governor that the State has ever had since its creation over three decades ago. As a way of recall, we have known him to be a good and highly compassionate person to workers in the employment of the state government right from when he was the Chief Of Staff in the immediate past administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. At that time, he was an intermediary between the government and labour. At that time, he championed favourably and remarkably, the course of any policy or activity that will put smiles on the faces of workers. Mr Oyetola is one person that won’t tell you what he will not do and that has been the principle he brought into his own governance when he came on board as the governor of Osun state in 2018. I must equally add that this attribute informed the clear-cut endorsement of him by all workers of Osun state when he signified his intention to become the governor. We knew he would not disappoint us and in reality he has not, as he has been living up to the expected billings of workers so far.
Osun Newsroom:
Let’s have an account of some of his landmark gestures to workers of Osun state since 2018.
NLC Chairman:
They are many. I don’t even know where to start from.
For instance, since his assumption of office, the hitherto anti-worker policy stance of payment of half salaries known in local parlance as “Afusa” to Osun workers automatically became a thing of the past when Oyetola became the governor. Workers have since been collecting their salaries as and when due. There has never been any form of delay whatsoever. Again, when the issue of payment of National Minimum Wage to workers in Nigeria was knotty, we became apprehensive in Osun state particularly because of the lean financial accruals to the State from the federation account. With such concern in mind, the organised labour in the state met the governor and we tabled our desires before him in line with the desirability for the immediate implementation of the minimum wage. Lo and behold, he asked us to go and look at its possibility. A committee was set up to that effect by his government where all stakeholders engaged in a serious and far-reaching discussion. It didn’t take us long before we came back to inform him that the state will be needing over 700 million added to the existing monthly wage bill of the State to be able to pay the minimum wage for Osun workers. Oyetola in his usual magnanimity gave his executive consent and Osun consequently became one of the three or four leading States in Nigeria where the payment of Minimum Wage is no longer a thorny issue. Again, if you can vividly recall, some workers in the State who had one certificate infraction or the other, were recommended for necessary punishment by a committee set up by the immediate past administration. When Oyetola assumed the mantle of leadership, they were accordingly pardoned after a thorough review of their cases. There was also the controversial case of some civil servants that didn’t get official approval before proceeding on further studies. Mr Oyetola also gave them automatic pardon.
Osun Newsroom:
This is quite commendable.
NLC Chairman:
Extremely commendable, I must add. That is Oyetola for you. Again the era of anxiety and apprehension by workers due to high-handedness of the immediate past administration has also become a thing of the past for Osun workers. They now work and go about their daily official and non-official duties with ease and rest of mind. Don’t also forget how Oyetola put smiles on the faces of workers when he doled out different star prizes including brand new cars to some deserving workers as a way of rewarding productivity and efficiency in service.
Recently, a worker with one of the local governments in Osun smiled home with a brand new Toyota Camry car personally brought by the State’s Head of Service, Dr Olowogboyega Oyebade, on behalf of the governor, to be donated to the worker for his diligence and productivity. This is a rare feat worthy of commendation by an administration always in a good frame of mind to make a difference for its workers. Similarly, Oyetola is not the type that is not approachable when you have requests bothering on the welfare of workers. He listens to you attentively by taking a look at the possiblity or otherwise of such request or requests as the case may be. He operates a listening and an open door administration.
Osun Newsroom:
Does this mean that so far, no single request of Osun workers is begging for the attention or approval of Mr Governor.
NLC Chairman:
Not really. For instance, we have the issue of the yet-to-be-paid arrears of salaries of workers owed by the past administration and inherited by this administration. It is still pending and begging for attention and consideration by the governor. Though this is not his fault, he has agreed in principle and action to pay as soon as the financial wherewithal of the state improves. That is why I always find it funny when some people, especially workers, feel that we in the labour movement of the state have compromised our stands as labour leaders. No, we have not. We have been having an extensive discussion with Mr Governor on it. In line with his sincerity, when it comes to issues bothering on the happiness of workers, we are very optimistic that he will pay the backlog of arrears of salaries owed workers by the former administration very soon. I want to emphasise again and again that Oyetola is a man of his words. Very soon, all the outstanding arrears would be paid by Governor Oyetola.
Osun Newsroom:
We have witnessed series of endorsements of Governor Oyetola by workers in the state for another four years in office. Labour is not an exception as you have equally rolled out the drums in doing same. Why is this so?
NLC Chairman:
Yes, we did and more and more of such endorsements will still come. This is because he has done more than expected for not only the workers but the entire people of Osun state. We have been having it smooth and rewarding. The industrial harmony in Osun in the last three-and-a-half years is unprecedented. Labour in the state has witnessed a robust turn around . What else do we need to do than to continue to do things that will further warm our love and affection towards this administration. I make bold to say that Governor Oyetola’s administration is unarguably the most worker
-friendly we have ever had.
Osun Newsroom:
The gubernatorial election is just few weeks away. What is your standpoint for workers towards Oyetola’s administration in its bid to return to office?
NLC Chairman:
The best of support for Oyetola by Osun workers is to continue to pray and identify with his second term return as the governor. To achieve this dream, I urge all workers in Osun State to come out in large number on the 16th of July this year to vote for Oyetola. A vote for Oyetola is a vote for continuation of a better life for all categories of workers . He is a worker-friendly governor who should be allowed to take the second baton in his well deserved second race into the Okefia Government House, Osogbo, for another four years. We are prepared to get him returned overwhelmingly with our votes come July 16.
