Nigeria Content Online

Last Tuesday, the
long running battle of wits between the Oyo State government and the
leadership of the state’s chapter of the National Union of Road
Transport Workers (NURTW) came to a head when, in a moment of
reactionary impetuosity, the chairman of the drivers union wrote a
letter to traditional rulers and leaders of thought in the state
warning of an imminent collision between his men and state officials.

It is an unusual
step. But it is also a sign of how things have degenerated in the state
that prides itself as the political capital of the southwest. The only
thing that is sadder could only be the perception that the usually
unruly louts of the NURTW are actually more civil in this altercation
than officials of the state government.

As usual, the
crisis has its roots in politics and permutations of the state
governor, Adebayo Alao Akala to win a second term in 2011. The two men
at the head of the two contending agencies – Mr. Alao Akala and Lateef
Akinsola Oluwatoki, otherwise known by the fanciful moniker ‘Tokyo,’
can both trace their ascendancy to a certain notorious politician in
Ibadan, the late Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu.

Tokyo and his men
were the fists with which Mr. Adedibu ruled the roost and enforced his
dictates – including the elevation of Mr. Alao Akala (a former deputy
governor of the state) into the governorship office at the expense of
his then principal, Rasheed Ladoja.

When Mr. Adedibu
died, the state governor came into his own and Tokyo lost his major
backer. He also fell out with the governor. He was subsequently
arrested by the police for alleged murder and detained for months
before he secured his release.

While Tokyo was
away, his deputy was railroaded into office as chairman of the drivers
union. The man, Lateef Salako (aka Elewe-Omo), is seen as an ally of
the governor and things were going swimmingly well until Tokyo was
released. Since then, the man generally derided as little better than a
tout has kept to the sunny side of the law.

Rather than embark
on a street fight as expected to win back his headship of the NURTW,
Tokyo went to the law courts to pursue his case and the judge found in
his favour. Even when the other faction resisted – and police stalled
in carrying out the court order – Tokyo went back to the court to seek
an enforcement, which was also granted.

But rather than
allow this process to work itself out, the state government decided to
take the legally dubious step of suspending the state chapter of the
union.

It also transferred
the power to collect dues at parks – the lifeline of the union and its
leaders – to local councils, thus effectively neutering the legal
victories of Tokyo and his gang.

This action would
surely make any maximum ruler proud and does not fit a democracy, even
one as malformed as our current one. We can only wonder whether the
state Attorney General has any input in this action and speculate on
the kind of thinking that led to the pronouncement. The state
government cites the need to maintain peace and security in the state,
as one reason for suspending the NURTW, but the legality of this act is
doubtful and its import sinister.

Any overfed
executive could use this excuse to ban any other forms of association
across the country, thus denying Nigerians their right to association.

It could also be
used as a cover for cracking down on unwanted opposition. It therefore
deserves to be condemned and exposed for its dubiousness. If the state
government were truly desirous of ensuring peace, it should back the
court’s ruling on this case and allow security agencies to deal with
anyone found to be acting against public peace.

But the aggravation
by state officials should not be an excuse for the kind of threats
contained in Tokyo’s letter to state leaders. He should realise that he
would be the ultimate loser if his boys were to unleash mayhem on the
state as he has threatened. Why, his opponents could even now start
violence and blame him for it.

As he must have realised from his earlier actions, the legal process
actually does work. Tokyo should return to the courts to challenge the
suspension of the union he heads. He has the law on his side and he
should not allow shortsighted politicians to foul up his newfound
respect for due process. He appears to the saner head in this contest.
He should stay that way.