By Comrade Abe, A. P.
OYE actually started well but he gradually drifted to becoming an oppressor and a tyrant.
He gradually exited the comrades that are outspoken bringing in people that are naive in the rudiments of unionism. People he brought on board begin to see him as godfather. With that, he usurped all powers that belong to various organs of the union.
When he woke up to the realisation of the power he wields, he began to remove people he felt would not support his long term plans, that was how he installed people that will do his bidding to virtually all the State Councils. More than 75% of the State Councils become his.
Oye has turned all rights to privileges, he does whatever he likes without recourse to the constitution, remittance of check off dues is statutory and payment of rebate is also statutory, but Oye has proven to us that it is only remittance of check-off that is statutory but payment of rebate is a privilege. All State Councils still have unpaid 2017 rebate, not to talk of 2020 rebate. We can all see that with Oye, we have entered one chance.
NEC meeting is supposed to be where robust and objective discussions will be held to take decisions that will further enhance the well-being of our members. Because our NEC is filled with his people, our NEC became a briefing spot and one man show, with the popular slogan ‘Carry Go’. Anything presented will be followed by a thunderous “Carry Go.” Anyone that says anything contrary to what Oye says is tagged an enemy; that was how the NEC of our great Union went to sleep.
Oye has removed four General Secretaries within his tenure in office, it would have been five if not for the intervention of the NLC President and our amiable global President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Oye retired Comrade (late) I. G. Yusuff, when he clocked 60 years but Oye has shifted his own retirement to 63 years.
He brought in Comrade Busari Bamidele as acting, he removed him in 2012. He brought in Comrade Danjuma Lamidi, after 3 years plus, he removed him again. He brought in Comrade T. T. Tyoban, before we knew, he had removed him. He brought back Comrade Busari Bamidele again. His initial plan was to remove him on the 14th of February 2020 before the intervention of the Congress President.
He did all this to make the position of the General Secretary an errand boy to the President.
I took us through this memory lane to see how Oye arrived at taking over the union entirely.
The organs that are supposed to curtail his excesses have been emasculated: NAC – he is their godfather. NEC – Carry Go. GS. – Errand boy to the President. This is the process in which Oye hijacked our union. He became so powerful that he began to rule us with arm of steel.
Take a glance over some of the actions he had masterminded: Oye, superintended on how Comrade Ayanshi’s name was included in redundancy in Nigeria Breweries. A national officer for that matter but because Ayanshi kept asking questions about his excesses, Oye, connived with Management to throw 43 staff of Allied Atlantic Distillery Ltd (AADL) out of their jobs for no just course.
Oye conspired with the management of Friesland (WAPCO) to include the names of the Branch Chairman and Branch Secretary in redundancy. The company has now compensated him by employing his son.
We all know his influence on Coca-Cola’s management. History is recording all the havoc he has done – the moment one is not in his good book, termination, transfer, victimisation, witch-hunting become the other of the day. If a sitting State Chairman can be transferred outside his jurisdiction, what cannot happen in NBC? Retirement age in the industry is 60 years as we all know, but because of his undue influence with the management, they shifted the goal post in the middle of the game and said retirement age is now 63 years just for him to continue to perpetuate himself in office.
Oye has removed four General Secretaries within his tenure in office, it would have been five if not for the intervention of the NLC President and our amiable global President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Oye retired Comrade (late) I. G. Yusuff, when he clocked 60 years but Oye has shifted his own retirement to 63 years.
The Food Union Hotel is being ran single-handedly by Oye, try to look at strategic areas in the hotel, you will see his names inscribed; check the bottom of the swimming pool to confirm this.
As you will agree with me, that TRAINING is very important in the survival of any organisation, Oye is close to 13 years in office as President. No single training till date, well you can’t offer what you don’t have.
Oye has turned all rights to privileges, he does whatever he likes without recourse to the constitution, remittance of check off dues is statutory and payment of rebate is also statutory, but Oye has proven to us that it is only remittance of check-off that is statutory but payment of rebate is a privilege. All State Councils still have unpaid 2017 rebate, not to talk of 2020 rebate. We can all see that with Oye, we have entered one chance.
Permit me to conclude that we have tolerated him for too long due to our silence in the face of injustices, there cannot be a better time than now.
We don’t need an analogue President in a digital dispensation, Oye has over-stayed his usefulness. We are prepared for your antics of taking the job of anyone that rises up to speak. This is just to mention few of his anomalies. We say no to fourth term!
Comrade Abe (JP) is State Chairman, Ogun State Council of Food Union
