TOOAN Lagos Chairman, Istijabah seeks Sanwo-Olu’s intervention • calls for independent union
By Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State, Alh. Musiliu Akinsanya (Mc Oluomo) and Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators of Nigeria (TOOAN), Lagos State, Alh. Abiola Azeez (Istijabah)
Alh Azeez Abiola, the Lagos State, Chairman of Tricycle Owners and Operators of Nigeria (TOOAN) on Friday called for a separate identity and independent body for the union to enable it address the welfare of its members.
Alh Abiola popularly known as Istijabah made the call While addressing newsmen attended by Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper against the backdrop of the recent clashes between the members of the union and the members of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State.
The Lagos State Union boss also appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to help wade into the current leadership crisis that have engulfed the union in the past few years.
Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators of Nigeria (TOOAN), Alhaji Abiola Azeez a.ka Istijabah
“Our union has been existing for over 20 years now, but there was a time we experienced leadership crisis in which we were called upon to choose between the NURTW and Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN), the existing union in the state.
“We are then affiliated with the NURTW and since then we have been paying our dues and other levies directly to the union spanning the two previous administration of NURTW executives.
“However, while we are affiliated with the NURTW, we have our activities controlled by our local executives until recently when the newly appointed NURTW boss, Alh Musliu Akinsanya popular known as MC Oluomo, called for dissolution of our executives.
A Copy of the NURTW Lagos Chairman’s Emergency Meeting Message. Made available to Trek Africa Newspaper
“After the dissolution of our executives by the incumbent administration of NURTW, caretaker administrators in form of zones were imposed on us, those that are not directly involved in our business,” he said.
Alh Abiola said the TOOAN as a separate union had to write a petition to the National body of the NURTW in Abuja to state the plight of the Lagos union which was resolved amicably.
some of the TOOAN Lagos Chairman, Istijabah’s Members that was allegedly attacked at the NURTW Secretariat
“We wrote a petition to the national body of NURTW in Abuja and we are called for a parley together with the NURTW Lagos excos where we stated our claims and we as TOOAN were asked to go back to the status quo.
“The resolution of the meeting which had in attendance all the management of the NURTW national body was that we should choose executive among TOOAN for Lagos chapter since we are just an affiliate member of NURTW.
“We are also instructed to pay all our dues and levies to the Lagos state chapter of the NURTW which we all accented to a copy of the resolutions in the meeting is available.
“Under the new arrangements and resolution I was chosen to be the new chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of TOOAN on February 9 2022 and the national body of NURTW directed that we should continue to operate in our existing state office,” he said.
Alh Abiola then noted that things took a new turn as the Lagos State chapter of NURTW failed to honour the gentleman’s agreement and resolutions in Abuja with the sealing of the TOOAN’s office in Lagos.
“After the successful deliberations with the National President, NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa in Abuja, I was summoned by the Lagos State chapter of NURTW led by Mc Oluomo for a meeting which turned out to be a different reaction from the Abuja parley as I and few entourage where attacked inside the State Secretariat.
“Two of my executives were wounded during the attack inside the Lagos NURTW union Compound”.
According to Istijabah, “The crisis erupted inside compound of the Lagos NURTW Secretariat, following an emergency meeting of the NURTW officials summoned by the State Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) to discuss the latest development in the Union over my appointment as the state chairman of TOOAN by the National President, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa in Abuja”.
Alh Abiola (Istijabah) narrated that he had just finished signing the attendance note book at the Secretariat’s gate, entering the premises of the NURTW that, some loyalists of MC Oluomo allegedly attacked him and his members, adding that those attacked were left in the cold blood before the arrival of RRS Police team.
Below are the copies of the Letter from the NURTW National President, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa in Abuja to the new Chairman, TOOAN Lagos State, Alh Abiola Azeez, Istijabah made available to Trek Africa Newspaper;
