Traditional rulers in Osun State, at the weekend, appealed to its workers to call off their industrial action in the interest of peace, progress and development of the state.
The royal fathers said the workers have genuine ground to go on strike but at the same time must protect the interest of the state
Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba AbdulRauf Olawale Adedeji, said the traditional rulers expressed sympathy for the workers, government and people of the state because all parties are being affected one way or the other.
The monarchs stated that it is a convention that both government and workers have joint responsibilities to serve the people of the state.
According to them, both government and workers are both servants of the people and the state.
They said based on the overall and collective interest of both the state and the people, it is pertinent for the workers let off their guards and end the industrial action.
The traditional rulers said: “We sympathise with the workers, so also we sympathise with the government. We also sympathise with the people of Osun State for they are also affected in one way or the other by the financial crisis.
“We want to commend the labour unions, particularly its leadership for comporting themselves. We salute their endurance. We want to appeal to them to bear with government. We can assure them that from what we have seen, things would soon come out well.”
According to them, nobody needs a crystal ball gazer to tell that the government of Aregbesola means well as it has turned around the state in the last five years.
They noted that the era when Osun State was referred to as a glorified local government and Osogbo, the state capital, as a glorified capital, has gone with the enormous development Aregbesola has brought to the state.
They continued: “One does not need to look at the crystal ball to know that the Aregbesola administration has in the last four years been busy turning the state around in all ramifications.
“This is the government whose presence is felt in all the nooks and crannies of the state. This is the government that had been paying workers’ salaries as and when due.
“This is the government that has introduced novelty by paying bonus to workers at the end of the year; that is the 13th month salary.”
They stated that government ran into troubled waters owing to the national financial crisis the whole nation is struggling to wriggle out of.
They therefore warned that the current situation should not be politicised by those who are seeking to capitalise on the situation to score political points.
The monarchs equally appealed to the government to intensify its effort geared towards resolving the problems.
The monarchs who signed the statement are: HRH Oba Wahab Oyedotun (Orangun of Ila); Oba Jimoh Olanipekun (Ataoja of Osogbo); Oba Rauf Olayiwola Adedeji (Akinrun of Ikirun); Oba Samuel Abioye (Olokuku); Oba Lookman Adesola Fadipe (Owa of Otan Ayegbaju); Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi (Aragbiji of Iragbiji).
Others include: Oba Kilani Adekeye Oyedare (Oloyan of Oyan); Oba Joseph Oladunjoye (Olunisa of Inisa); Oba Rauf Olaniyan (Elende of Eko Ende); Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan (Olobu of Ilobu); Oba Jimoh Olaromoye Olatoyan (Aree of Iree).
The others are: Oba Adetoyi Adetunlurese (Onirun of Oke-Irun); Oba Yahaya Elugbaju (Obajio of More, Ile-Ife); Oba Samuel Idowu (Akesin of Ora Igbomina) and Oba Lawrence Makinde (Oluosin of Aba Oni).