NURTW Lagos inaugurates new leadership after power tussle
Samuel Omotere
After months of in-house crisis, tension and power struggle in the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State Council, the body has finally inaugurated a new leadership with Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, as the new Chairman.
The conflict which was later resolved by the state government and stakeholders was a result of Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) refusal to resign and forfeit his NURTW Lagos chairmanship position to Mustapha Sego, his treasurer at that time.
The new executives were sworn in by the NURTW Legal Adviser, Ajetunmobi Olayinka Saheed after dissolving the existing caretaker administration on Thursday at the Lagos Council Headquarters at Agege, Lagos.
The inaugurated chairman, Mustapha Sego expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the state government, transport workers and everybody who were instrumental in making his ‘dream’ come true. He advocated for peace, support and continued cooperation of union members in rejuvenating the state council.
Sego said,”I thank God for making me witness today’s event and for making my long-time dream come into reality.
“If you have the wisdom to win a war, you should also have the wisdom to maintain peace. I want peace in my state, in our state. Let us keep maintaining the existing peace so our union can progress.”
Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transport was represented by Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, the Director of Transport Operations in the State Ministry of Transportation.
He congratulated the chairman and urged the members to cooperate with the newly inaugurated Chairman and Lagos Government so that NURTW Lagos can experience a next level in its development.
Ojowuro said the Ministry cherish the relationship it has with the transport workers, and will continue to sustain it. He stressed the importance of the union existence, stating that the transport affairs of the state cannot be coordinated and overseen without working with union and other sister bodies.
“The state cannot progress if the transport sector is not organised. The governor and the ministry cannot do it alone without the support of NURTW. When we talk about transportation in Lagos, NURTW is very important and in a smart city, transportation is key,” Ojowuro concluded.
MC Oluomo was absent but was represented by the South-East Zone Chairman, Anthony Ewa in support of the new leadership. Ewa delivered the NURTW National Chairman speech on his behalf, in which he urged the new leadership of the Lagos council to run an open administration free of victimisation.
