Oyo: Akala's booby traps haunt Ajimobi

BY OLA AJAYI

The relationship between the workers and the former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala could be likened to that of a cat and mouse. It was so glaring at a point that the then State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Alhaji Lamidi Apapa once said that the administration was not workers’ friendly.

As a result of this the workers in the state went on strike several times before the expiration of the tenure of the ex-governor.  Staff of the Polytechnic, Ibadan were not left out. In fact, the then Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mr. Babatunde Dosumu was sacked for leading his members to say no to the perceived high-handedness of the administration. Up till now the dismissed lecturer is still contesting his dismissal in court.

Indeed, throughout the tenure of the administration, there was no time the salary of workers was increased without any form of confrontation between the two parties.

But surprisingly at the twilight of his tenure, Otunba Akala pledged to the workers that he would implement the new minimum wage at the end of May. The announcement was made after he had been voted out by the electorate in the state.

Of course, the workers who had variously complained that they were the least paid workers in the South West jumped at what some termed as a Greek gift.

While they were rejoicing, the then governor-elect, Senator Abiola Ajimobi saw the implementation of the new minimum wage which the Federal Government was yet to pay as a landmine intended to cause disaffection for his administration.

To Ajimobi, if the former Governor had meant well for the new administration, he should have left the issue for him to resolve instead of rushing to implement it.

Many observers wondered why Akala suddenly turned a to a ‘nice person’ even though he had earlier turned deaf ears to the call by the workers to see to the implementation of the wage.

A greater percentage of the observers say the then governor, haven been faced with the reality that his dream of becoming elected for the second term had been truncated, only created booby trap for Ajimobi.

To put his government into more troubles, Akala went ahead to hurriedly assent to a bill by the then State House of Assembly under the leadership of Mr. Moruf Atilola amending the laws governing the state Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs, thereby removing the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi as the permanent chairman which he had earlier agreed to when the going was good between him and the monarch.

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