Hundreds of Oyo Traders Storm Ibadan, Appeal for Truce in Govt, NLC Crisis

• Lament drop in market patronage

Ademola Babalola in Ibadan

Apparently miffed by the continuous absence from work and schools by angry workers in Oyo state in compliance with the ongoing strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress, the traders in the state under the banner of ‘concerned mothers’ stormed Ibadan, the state capital, with an appeal to the government and the workers to sheathe their sword.

The mothers, in their hundreds from across the 33 local government areas of the state and notable markets in the city, stormed Iyaganku press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and passionately appealed to the workers to allow the renewed efforts of Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration to appease them to work.

Worried that the Monday’s resumption order of Ajimobi administration had been heeded by the students who resumed in their thousands to their different schools but jettisoned by their teachers who stayed away from classrooms, the mothers said it was high time the two parties returned to the negotiation table so as to safeguard the future of the pupils whose continued stay at home, could hamper their academic performance and future aspiration.

Stressing that an idle hand is a devils workshop, the mothers led by their leaders like the Iyaloja of Ibadanland, Mrs Labake Lawal, Iyadinni Lawal and Mrs. Mutilade Adedeji at the press conference inside the millennium press centre begged governor Ajimobi to be father to all stakeholders involved in the current labour/government/ student/teachers face off in the state.

They added that they have engaged the state government over the salary issue, saying the state government explained the financial status to them which in turn made them to know the governor meant well for the welfare of all but for the current financial status of the state.

Further details later