By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The organized labour, civil society organisations, CSOs, students, as well as private individuals made good their promise to carry out the much talked about protest in Kwara State on Wednesday against the Federal Government’s removal of subsidy on petrol in Kwara State.
The protest, however, was peaceful as against the beliefs that it might be unruly and highjacked by hoodlums like it used to be in the past.
The procession of the protesters were well co-ordinated by both the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, and his Trade Union Congress, TUC, counterpart, Comrade JosephTunde.
The protesters were demanding among others, the immediate refurbishment of the nation’s refineries, reversal of the soaring cut-throat petrol prices, control measures mechanism of comodities which the removal of petrol sybsidy had forced on innocent citizens.
They were seen carrying banners with inscriptions: “Repair our refineries and build additional ones;” “No To Industrial Neo-liberal Slavery;” “Masses Welfare Is Sacrosanct;” and “Release Eight-Month Withheld Salaries Of University Lecturers And Workers;” among others.
Their processions took off from the state NLC Secretariat by the State High Court Complex, along Lajorin Road, GRA, Ilorin and made intermitent stop-overs at the Governor’s Office Complex, the Government House and then directly at the office of the Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, who addressed them, pleading that they should register their grievances in the most peaceful manner.
The state Police Commissioner, CP Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi, had earlier pleaded with the kabour leaders to carry out their protests in the most orderly manners at the NLC Secretariat, warning that they should guide against hoodlums hijacking their peaceful action.
Not only that, the Police Commissioner also personally led officers in the command to supervise the processions, particularly along Ahmadu Bello Way, GRA in the state capital.
The Police Chief had earlier on Tuesday, accompanied by the heads of other security agencies, held a meeting with labour leaders, industrial and students unions leaders in the state, where she pleaded that the scheduled protests be attenfed with utmost orderliness on Wednesday.
