Transport Union Workers and Traders Take Over Alimosho Ward Party Meeting

Alimosho Ward G Meeting: An Assemblage of Unionists

I'm sure many of us missed this!

On Thursday, there was a confused gathering at Iyana-Ipaja Courtyard. Some said it was a party Ward Meeting. Some said it was a meeting for NURTW and some said people only gathered without a specific purpose.

Whichever it was, I remember a popular Yoruba saying that, aa kìí ti ilé ẹjọ́ dé, kí a ṣ'ọ̀rẹ́, meaning, we cannot take each other to court, return and continue to be friends. Ni àṣẹ Elédùmarè, bí o ṣe ma jẹ ni yẹn. They dragged themselves to court. They shall return divided, God willing.

The confused sitting begun with a proposal for an opening prayer but all the attendees kept rejecting to take the session. Nobody wan make him name appear for confused settings. Lest I forget, the organisers claimed it was a political meeting, though it was largely dominated by Iyana-Ipaja NURTW and market men and women. I hear say dem go dey beg traders and union operators from their shops and parks to attend the yeye meeting. Some did not respond. So, they had to approach the union and market leaders urging them to instruct their followers to attend the undefined meeting. I am sure the leaders obeyed to avoid disturbances and intimidation from council officials.

Well, before I forget wetin I been dey talk. They kept searching for someone to handle the prayer session but nobody was willing to accept the offer. The guy kept moving up and down with his mic begging people on his knees to, please pray for them. Make I chook this one, sef. The meeting was anchored by the Ward Legal Adviser, one Olude Bode aka Jasper like that, sha. The first man that was approached for the prayer shifted the task, pointing to another person, who also pointed to yet another person, who also pointed to another again. It is true that nobody likes to be identified with failure and illegality.

Yes, nah. The meeting was politically illegal and unconstitutional. As expected, the meeting was convened by the party Secretary but not with the approval or knowledge of the Ward Chairman. Even after the dissemination of the information, the Chairman was still not carried along. Abeg, who wan Chair meeting if no be Chairman again?

Las las, sha, one gentle man like that accepted to do the prayer like that like that, to reduce the embarrassment and more importantly, to save their own time. Remember, time is money. Make una no forget say na from their places of business dem go call dem for the yeye meeting o. The meeting was nothing but a mere test of strength and popularity, as it would be recalled that last Sunday, April 11, 2021, the Ward Chairman called for a meeting but Jasper and his group refused to attend. So, he decided to summon an emergency to flex muscles with the authentic Ward Chairman. Unlike this gathering of transport unionists and market men and women who have little or no interest for politics, the Chairman's meeting was graced by genuine party members and community residents. The difference is not only wide but crystal-clear.

The ball was set rolling with the opening prayer when the innocent man began by chanting his Union slogan and slangs. Instead of repeating APC! Next!!, the atmosphere was dominated with the chant Up National! Progress!!. His prayer was centered on their union and less of the political sitting. Wetin concern agbero with over load?

Now, The Meeting Proper!

Instead of discussing party progress, affairs and deliberations for way forward on the current challenges, the Legal Adviser emphasized on calling Ejigbadero, unfriendly names. He claimed Ejigbadero was breaking the party with his Sọrọ Soke movement. Na because of that one you call people come meeting? Chai! Confusion sef na disease o.

The actual essence of the meeting remains undefined as some people kept asking for the whereabouts of the Ward Chairman and other Ward Excos. They tried to know the position and post of the anchor of the meeting but he kept swerving from answers. If not, how would he stand before them, chairing Ward meeting and tell them that he was the Ward Legal Adviser? Of course, he could not claim to be the Ward Chairman because every party member and resident  in Alimosho knows Opeyemi Orodele, the real Ward Chairman like the back of their palms.

Finally, the meeting ended with a strong appeal to the unionists and traders to offer them, at least, ten representatives from their various units. These representatives would be available for every meeting being called by the new extraction of the Ward party. In the coming days, we expect that the Legal Adviser would be announced as the new Ward Chairman. Yeye no get another name, just as e no dey get packaging.

The kangaroo meeting was hosted to deceive party leaders that they were working, after all, money had been received and the job had to be done.