I want to say a big congratulations to our respected friend and brother, the chairman of the National Road Transport Workers union in Lagos State, Musiliu Akinsanya whose daughter recently graduated as a certified Nurse from Georgia University, USA.
I could feel how proud and happy he is as he shared the good news on social media. Not only did she graduate from the prestigious University, she already secured a job too.
This indeed is double celebration for the celebrity union leader popularly called MC and i must confess, this news is the dream of many fathers.
Slowly, Adeyemi Oluwasoga lit his weed and confidently bellowed a perfect ring of smoke in the air, unperturbed about the presence of policemen at the bus stop.
In his acquired guttural voice he hurled insults at one of the boys issuing tickets for allowing a bus driver go without obtaining a ticket.
The bus driver had pleaded that he just came out of the mechanic shop and was embarking on his first trip of the day. He promised to pay later.
Fearing the implication, the ticketer ran after the bus and dragged down the bus conductor.
Other union members including Adeyemi watched as the conductor was slapped around for refusing to pay for the ticket.
Suddenly Adeyemi said to me, ‘Egbon, ejo, iseju kon’ as he ran towards the conductor and dragged him to a corner. Weed in hand, he slapped the conductor who had gotten on his knees, repeatedly. He quickly released some dirty naira notes.
As i read MC’s post, I ask myself, what is the future of Adeyemi and those other young men running after various commercial vehicle drivers, selling tickets?
What is the future of their children?
In their green and white uniforms, beating up drivers and vandalising vehicles, will they, can day in the nearest future share such news on their time lines like our brother MC?
Does the union have medical cover for these members? Are they pensionable? Do they have severance packages?
If Lagos state, her agencies and local government councils collect internally Generated Revenue electronically, why does the union still collect cash daily.
Who audits the unions accounts and what role does government play in regulating their activities.
Like i said earlier, congratulations my brother, MC.
Many many more victories for the family.
Tunde ‘Tjak’ Jakande writes from Lagos