NURTW Crisis: MC Oluomo, Istijabah Ends Dispute

Two transport union leaders in Lagos State, Azeez Ajibola, aka Istijabah; and Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo; appeared to have sheathed their swords and have agreed to work together.

Istijabah is known as the Chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria in Lagos State whilst MC Oluomo is the newly appointed Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee.

The two leaders have been at loggerheads for months over the control of motor parks and garages in the state and their lieutenants have repeatedly engaged in violent clashes in many parts of the state.

However, our correspondent gathered from sources familiar with the matter that the two union leaders were invited to a reconciliation meeting at the Ministry of Transportation in Alausa this week.

The meeting was attended by MC Oluomo; Istijabah; the Government Liaison Officer of the state’s parks management committee, AIG Hakeem Odumosu (retd.); officials of the transport ministry, amongst others.

In a video released to his Facebook page, Istijabah said the squabble was over.

Istijabah, who spoke in Yoruba, said, “God has settled the disagreement between myself and MC Oluomo. I said everything I said about him in anger and they were untrue. The people at the Ministry of Transportation have settled the whole matter.

“Presently now, from myself as the Zonal Chairman of Zone C and all the excos and all branch chairman, we have joined the Park and Garages established by the Lagos State Government. The progress of Lagos is our responsibility.”

Also, the spokesperson for MC Oluomo, Jimoh Buhari, in a telephone chat with The PUNCH on Friday, confirmed the development.

He said, “MC Oluomo has agreed to work with Istijabah following the intervention of the state government. They have worked together before and he is ready to work with him again.”