On Saturday, the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, pleaded with organised labour to shelve the strike planned to begin on Tuesday nationwide.

Mr Balogun, in his message on Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Day anniversary, issued in Ibadan by his personal assistant on media, Oladele Ogunsola, urged the labour leadership to have a re-think.

He said the labour unions, which comprise the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), should explore ways of resolving the vexatious issues instead of the planned strike.

“The labour leaders should prevail on their members to bear with the present administration, with the mindset that no problem could be solved with another problem,” the traditional ruler said.

He equally enjoined the federal government not to overstretch the people, saying there must be tangible measures to reassure them that the President Bola Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was truly for real.

“I plead for dialogue between labour and government, and in dialoguing, there should be openness and understanding.

”Let us bear in mind that where two elephants fight, it is the grass there that suffers.

“Let’s be mindful of the effect of total paralysis on our battered economy.

”Consider the sick; consider the pupils and students from our nursery schools to the universities, among several others, who will bear the brunt.

“I want our labour leaders to cast their minds back to the last prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the effect on our students

“How do we compensate for the loss of a whole academic session in the lives of the affected students?

“Such loss is eternal because it is not possible to wind back the hands of the clock. That’s just an example,” Mr Balogun pleaded.

He, however, acknowledged the position of the labour movement vis-a-vis the plight of workers and the generality of the people.

He noted that things were really bad and living in the country was becoming hellish for the people day by day.

”But in spite of this, we need to apply caution, considering the short time of the present administration so far and in view of what it inherited.”

The Ibadan traditional ruler also described Mr Tinubu as a man of his word, saying there was no reason to doubt his ability and capability to deliver on his campaign promises.

He charged the president and his team to come up with some urgent decisions and actions that would cushion the effect of some of the already-rolled-out policies.

The Olubadan reminded the country’s leadership that human endurance is not limitless and should not stretch Nigerians beyond the limit.

Mr Balogun equally congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary and enjoined all to be thankful to God for keeping the country together irrespective of the myriad of challenges the country has encountered.

“Looking back, at 63, we may be tempted to write ourselves off as a nation for not having attained the expected and commensurate height.

“But, if we think deeply, we will see the need to appreciate and acknowledge the divine touch of God in the affairs of the country for which I felicitate all.

“Let’s remain optimistic, committed, and steadfast with unshakeable faith in God for a better and more prosperous nation that all of us will be proud of once again,” he stated.

(NAN)