Politicians and thuggery in Nigeria
A few weeks ago, National Road Transport Workers Union (NRTWU) at Iyana Ipaja Bus Stop, Lagos, threw the whole area into pandemonium. For almost three hours or so, the trouble lasted, everybody ran for dear live. For God’s sake in this 21st century Nigeria, a group of people or union still go about with arms […]
A few weeks ago, National Road Transport Workers Union (NRTWU) at Iyana Ipaja Bus Stop, Lagos, threw the whole area into pandemonium. For almost three hours or so, the trouble lasted, everybody ran for dear live. For God’s sake in this 21st century Nigeria, a group of people or union still go about with arms to change the leader of their union. This often happens mostly in the South West.
My research shows that in Iyana Ipaja Bus Stop alone, there are about 36 sectional chairmen of the same union.
Members of National Road Transport Workers Union are easy prey to be employed as thugs during political elections. This started in late 1950s when “Omopupa” was the lion of the garage at Mushin, Lagos. He played a major role during the western crises between Action Group (A.G.) and N.C.N.C.
Later in 1970s another “Agbero” rose in the Oshodi axis of the same union nicknamed ‘Success’. He even has police guards and also aspired to go into the National Assembly.
The strongman of Ibadan, Oyo State, became so powerful from 1992 to 2013, that he singlehandedly went to Agodi prison and released a man charged with multiples murder. Till today, that man is as free as the air.
The strongman of Ibadan was so powerful that he singlehandedly changed the Governor of Oyo State. The members of Oyo State House of Assembly were under his foot. He accused the Governor of not giving him a percentage of the security vote of the state.
More so, the strongman of Ibadan, Oyo state, has the backing of the centre, so it appears. Whenever he caused mayhem in Oyo state, security people would come from Abuja to pick him up. After about a week or so, when peace has returned to the state, he would be flown back and became more brutal on the citizens of the state. He has several times disrupted Juma’at worships.
I recently discovered that the politicians in the South West cannot easily wish the thugs away. I paid a visit to Lagos State House of Assembly to see the legislator representing my area. This gave me an opportunity to see many of these thugs. They have devised a means of beating the security at the Assembly. They came in ones or twos. They dressed decently but, their voices and attitudes betrayed them.
My God! If politicians could hear what these thugs talk about them, they would be ashamed.
For example, one thug was telling his colleagues how he followed a politician from Lagos to Iwo in Oyo State to meet an “Alfa” who prepared prayer and charm for him and they came back at 2:00am.
Another thug said that he followed a politician to the remote part of Ondo state to meet a powerful “jujuman”. It is obvious that these thugs know the secret and diabolic activities of our politicians.
The question now is: How long shall this set of people hold the rest of us at ransom? The political class has not got the moral to call off their bluff. The police too are not helping matters. The “Agberos” have become a thorn in the flesh of everybody in Western Nigeria.
There are other transport unions in Nigeria. We never have problems with Motor Transport Owners Union, Taxi Drivers Union, Tipper Lorry Drivers Union and Ajegboro Owners/Drivers Union.
The South West governors should please, save us from these blood thirsty union leaders. The first way out is to raise the educational status of union leaders in the transport industry. The second suggestion is the auditing of the union accounts. The leaders of the union always have free flow of cash and as such, they are ready to kill to get to the top. The government needs to inject educated transport experts into the union to bring sanity into the operations of the union.
The proposed amendment to the electoral laws by the National Assembly, I think, will put a permanent check on the use of thugs by our politicians in Nigeria, especially in the South western states.
Dr. Sunday O. Ajai, Lagos.