By Ibraheem Abdullateef

It was twenty minutes past 4pm on Thursday when the buses started snaking into the premises. About ten minutes later, it surged into a crowd. Then, the voices rose and grew louder. “Soli, sooli, sooolidarity forever…,” the patriots chorused.

I stood revelling in pride and awe of change as the organised labour unions and their affiliate bodies stormed the Kwara State Government House yesterday. They said they came to appreciate Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the clearance of backlog of salary arrears, palliative for workers, and overall commitment to workers’ welfare in Kwara State. Seven years ago, they could be at the gate in a fierce struggle with hefty security men as they came to demand for payment of their dues from an unfriendly government.

Speaking for the organised labour unions at the rally, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kwara Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka said they were delighted that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been treating their demands one by one. As he reeled out some of these demands that were recently approved including cash-backing of promotion and ongoing payment of years-long arrears of workers, the delighted labour unionists echoed in salute “gbosa! gbosaa! gbosaaa!” for the Governor.

Wait a minute! Reverse!

Did I just say labour unionists came to express joy for the Governor over the ongoing payment of their arrears which he cleared? Haa, were they not the workers the elements in opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said were being scammed and deceived?

Now, come along. Each of the salutary “gbosa, gbosaa, gbosaaa” said by the unionists shoots down the wall of falsehood. These were the people concerned. They would not be denied of their entitlements and be singing and smiling. More so, Kwara workers, like the proverbial bride, have been into two marriages and should know better now. And much did they know, going by their friendly mode of engagement with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, that this one is a better leader. You may say the other guy and his followers are losers who now find joy in wishing for a crack in the union. Governor AbdulRazaq, for his part, is a talk-and-do, caring, and humble leader. And I dare say this union is fruitful. Or how do we call full implementation of minimum wage; clearing backlog of promotion and arrears; prompt payment of salary; among other issues? If this were of any man and woman and not a literal alliance, our forefathers would say the house is full. Governor AbdulRazaq — Labour unions should be delighted.

Some say adversity is a valid test of leaders. It is a time many lose their minds to pressure, while some simply bury their heads in weakness. If the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges arising from the removal of fuel subsidy and naira devaluation fit the bill of adversity, the Kwara leader is a man for big occasions. NLC chairman, Comrade Olayinka Saheed, seemed to agree with me as he alluded to his brave leadership and compassion for the workers at the time. But what’s there to disagree? Facts are stubborn things. In the ratings done by federal government and some independent groups, Kwara constantly came up as one of the top states in the best management of the pandemic in Nigeria. For instance, Stears Business, a data intelligence company, rated Kwara State Government 3rd with respect to policy response to COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria in its report in April 2020. A month later, SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market/security intelligence and research consulting firm, similarly ranked Kwara 4th on Health Preparedness Index. We have been down this pathway with AbdulRazaq in the saddle and we sailed to safety and progress.

Has Kwara not started coming up for acclaim in this phase too? The nation rose to clap for our three-day work schedule policy. Among other firsts, it is also on record we announced first N10,000 wage award/palliative for the workers– a policy available records have now proven is being done by only 14 states. We began to pay 100% CONMESS and CONHESS for medical doctors and health workers; gave various grants to over 124,000 households, including N1,000,000 each for 100 farmers across the state; and supplied food palliatives to over 500,000 residents to cushion the hardship of the people and maintain social stability.

Kwara recently restarted bus rides with a 50% reduction for students and staff of some tertiary institutions in the state. But has the abimoku PDP not been railing and setting standards it has no record of meeting? It says nothing is being done, as usual — like it did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A leprous PDP demands perfection from a dynamic, selfless Governor. If we were in an art class, this would make a classical case of irony, or even farce. Has PDP ever had any standard? I leave you to judge. However, history recalls that some of the issues of unpaid salaries and promotions that are now being addressed by AbdulRazaq date back to recession of 2016 — when PDP-led administration in the state could not pick up its financial responsibilities largely due to profligacy, despite being handed bailouts by the federal government. The one who created the mess and whose buttock is being wiped is the one who is crying foul.

In other words, this (husband) PDP used Kwara workers, ate up her food, wore her body out, and refused to pay back when he could, yet, he got upset when she (Kwara workers) found joy in a new man (APC) clearing the old debt and paying his own dues. Twitter people would ask, “no be witchcraft be that?” Na witchcraft.

It was part of what I told a friend when he reached out to me recently. He wanted to know why certain people online were not simply happy but rather bellyaching that Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq decided to clear the backlogs of salary arrears and cash backed years of promotion for workers in the state, among other recent decisions to bring ease to the people. I was going to lurch into philosophical sayings about their rights and liberty, especially in a democracy as we practice, to absolve the other people of any wrongdoing in criticising the Governor even when he deserves praises. But then, I hesitated and asked for the posts and handles of these people for verification. It turned out to be less riveting.

Just ignore these ones. They are Abimoku, I said. Unable to catch my drift, he asked rather incredulously, “Ahhh, do you mean some of them just lost their children”? I laughed at his innocence. Of course not. I would not mock anyone with losing a child. Never. May we not lose our offsprings before we go home ourselves.

“Then, who are the abimoku in Kwara?,” he asked again.

They are the ones that I have been talking about. But he had just met them. He saw them online. Those who are never happy about the progress of the people. Those who mourn every development in the state. Those who tear down good news with ugly brush. Those who invent bad news with pen even when there is none. Those who see the future only from the prism of the past. Those who would rather the Governor did not clear the backlogs, so that the workers won’t commend and further support his administration, in the hope that their ire will shoot them into power in the next elections. They are the ones.

It is an ancient saying of the Yorubas: ‘inu abimoku kii dun (the one who loses a child at birth is doomed).’ Aside from the traditional period of mourning, every other day when he sees the living child of others achieving milestones his own didn’t wait to see, he gets even more pained, envious, and baleful.

So, how else do you describe PDP? The party lost power 2019 and was rejected rather rightly again in another round of elections last year.

So? Kwara got approval for upgrade of diagnostic centre. They moaned. Kwara gets new flyovers. They mourned. They ululated. Kwara Governor cleared the arrears PDP government owed workers. They bellyache. Should anyone be worried again by now? AbdulRazaq, Labour’s delight is abimoku PDP’s misery.

Abdullateef is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Communications