As Nigeria celebrates its 63rd Independence anniversary, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, the traditional ruler of the Otumara community in Lagos State, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to avert the proposed nationwide strike actions slated to begin on October 3.
Kalejaiye made this appeal in his Independence Day message to Nigerians and the country’s leadership.
He reaffirmed his call for a renewed and better Nigeria while also urging President Bola Tinubu to expedite measures to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.
He commended the president for the subsidy palliative of a N25,000 wage increase to workers in the lower echelons of federal employment while calling for more interventions in the provision of infrastructure and social amenities.
He stated that Nigeria needs unity and economic stability to move forward, attain her rightful position in the community of nations, and not engage in strike actions that would further inflict more hardship on Nigerians.
He said, “I congratulate fellow Nigerians on the occasion of the 63rd Independence anniversary celebration.
There is no doubt this is not the best of times for many Nigerians, but there are a lot of things we need to be proud of as a nation. There is still a lot of work to be done.
As we celebrate this year’s Independence Day, I am urging President Tinubu to do the needful and liberate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty, unemployment, insecurity, kidnapping, food inflation, and scarcity.
Most importantly, I am concerned about the proposed strike actions of the NLC scheduled to begin on October 3.
Many Nigerians are frustrated and losing hope in the current leadership of the country. The economy is severely impacted, and many businesses are collapsing.
I appeal to President Bola Tinubu to do everything possible to renew the hopes of Nigerians in the Nigerian project by reviving the ailing economy.
Many people are poor in a rich country like Nigeria. Nigerian youths constitute the most active population, yet they are unable to achieve their dreams and goals.
The polarised security situation and epileptic power supply, which adversely affect the quality of lives and businesses, are causes for concern.
The poor electricity supply is the main cause of insecurity and economic hardship. Businesses will thrive if the power supply is stable and security operatives are able to monitor crimes through CCTV, which also requires electricity to function.
On this year’s Independence Day, I am appealing to the president, governors, and other political leaders to liberate Nigerians from a bleak future and give them true independence from poverty, homelessness, and economic needs.
We want a better deal. We want employment for the teeming youth population. The government must create a platform that supports business growth. We want a good transportation network and living wages for the employed population of the country.
And a smooth academic session for Nigerian students and a better welfare package for lecturers in tertiary institutions.”
Similarly, Kalejaiye also called for the return of history in the secondary school curriculum across the country.
The return of history as a subject in both primary and secondary schools, according to him, will acquaint the students with what, where, when, and how the country and its leaders have failed since independence.
He said, “The Europeans perceived Africans as non-historic, but the fact of the matter is that Africa and indeed Nigeria have a rich history to tell the coming generation.
Is it about the history of how the British colonisers enslaved our forefathers and how the nationalists fought for independence?
Our history is not all about slavery and economic stagnation. There are histories of rich cultural heritage, the history of the great Benin Kingdom, of the rise and fall of the Old Oyo empire, and of our great women in history.
The likes of Efunsetan Aniwura and Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
The return of history is very important because any race or group of people that forgets where it is coming from will definitely lose the future.
So I am appealing to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other governors in the country to reintroduce history into the school curriculum.”
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