2022: Osun Teachers Endorse Oyetola for Second Term

By Yinka Kolawole

Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Osun State chapter, yesterday passed a vote of confidence on the state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, “for prioritising workers’ welfare and well-being, particularly the teachers in the state.”

The over 11,000 teachers in the state workforce attributed their solidarity and endorsement of the governor to his ‘rare passion and love for education, welfare and well-being of teachers in particular, and socioeconomic development of the state in general’.

This is even as the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making education the bedrock of the socioeconomic development of the state.

The governor said the executive members of the NUT are an amalgam of the leaderships of teachers at the primary and secondary levels, the two arms which represent the foundation of education in the state.

The ecstatic teachers wore caps with the inscription: ‘NUT for Oyetola’, and pledged their support to the governor and his administration during the inauguration of the newly-elected executive members of the NUT in the state held at the Staff Development Centre, Osogbo.

Speaking on behalf of the teachers in the state, the state Chairman of NUT, Adekomi Kabir Adekunle, said their solidarity and endorsement of the governor for second term were informed by the numerous support and honour the administration has accorded the union.

Adekunle, who described the achievements of the administration across various sectors, particularly the education sector, as unprecedented, disclosed that the union was resolved to rally support for him to return for second term.

He said: “The reason for this programme is to honour the man who has honoured us. It is to give honour to whom honour is due. Oyetola must be honoured for his good works. No doubt, Oyetola has been performing wonderfully well since he assumed office as the governor of our dear state.

“It is for this noble gesture that we the teachers deem it fit to honour him for taking our welfare as priority and for giving us the pride of place that we deserve as teachers in the state.”

Speaking on the occasion, the governor noted that education remains the driver of his administration’s ‘Development Agenda’.

He said his administration had painstakingly designed a template to reposition education and makes it serve as a catalyst for building a strong, prosperous and sustainable state.

Governor Oyetola, who assured his commitment to continue to govern the state with the fear of God, said: “The welfare of workers and other citizens in the state is of topmost priority to me and our administration, and it shall remain so for now and even in the future.”

While applauding the NUT members in the state for their efforts in improving on the quality of public education, Oyetola urged them to rise beyond the flashes of achievements to make excellence a culture and a way of life saying: “We would be close to our dream when we lead national examinations annually and when scores of our pupils achieve recognition at same examinations.”

He said the administration would continue to do its best to provide facilities and inputs that would make them to deliver the set goals of revamping the education system through the renovation of schools, provision of relevant equipment, and enthronement of discipline.

In their separate remarks, the Head of Service, Dr. Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade; the state Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jacob Adekomi; the state Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Adebowale Adekola; the state Chairman Joint Negotiation Council Bayo Adejumo; former Osun State NUT Chairmen, Saka Adesiyan and Comrade Amuda Wakeel, extolled the governor for being faithful to his promises on workers.