Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The leadership crisis that many thought may lead to another bloodbath among the members of the Lagos State Council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) was resolved “peacefully” on Monday.
This followed the endorsement of Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo), who was appointed by the union’s national body as the Lagos State Caretaker Committee Chairman by the immediate past NURTW Lagos State Council Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede.
Akinsanya and 17 others were last Wednesday appointed Caretaker Committee members to run the council union.
The National Deputy Secretary-General, Kayode Agbeyangi led the national and zonal leaders to swear-in the new state helmsmen at the union state headquarters at Oko-Oba, Agege.
Agbede, who was said not to have favoured Akinsanya to succeed him, showed up at the swearing-in.
Many were surprised by his appearance and subsequent peace message to the gathering.
Agbede declared Akinsanya as the new leader of the state council.
He urged all members irrespective of the where they belong to support Akinsanya and join him to move the association forward.
The era of changing leadership of the union through bloodbath, he said, should be jettisoned.
“I want members of our union in Lagos State to let peace reign and join hand together with the committee chairman to move the union forward,” he said.
Agbede urged the union leaders to do things in accordance with the union’s constitution.
Agbeyangi hailed Agbede for ensuring that the leadership crisis is resolved.
According to him, the immediate past chairman has handed over all the property of the union in his custody to the new leadership.
He urged other former executive members to toe the same line.
He warned the new leadership not to discriminate against any member.
Agbeyangi also enjoined members to stop posting negative materials on the social media.
According to him, executive members at branches and units’ level have not been dissolved.
“No one should go and take over any branch because of the new leadership at the state level.
“You should also stop circulating rumours just to create unnecessary tension,” he said.
Akinsanya urged the members to sheath their sword and embrace one another.
“We have won the war but the most important thing now is to win the peace.
“We are one and we will always remain brothers irrespective of our differences during the struggling for this position.
“Whoever I have offended should forgive me; I also forgive those who offended me. Be sure that we are going to run this administration together. Let us join hand together to make this union great,” he said.
The NURTW boss, however, warned that hence force no forceful takeover of the union’s branch, adding that anybody that participated in such act will end up in jail.
He directed all branch’s chairmen to recall any member suspended during the electioneering period.
