Elegbede: MWUN PG, Adeyanju, union leaders pay condolence visit to APMT, admonish workers to be good ambassadors.
Elegbede: MWUN PG, Adeyanju, union leaders pay condolence visit to APMT, admonish workers to be good ambassadors.
Segun Oladipupo
The President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju on Tuesday called on the workers of AP Moller Terminal (APMT) to be good ambassadors of the union wherever they find themselves.
He made the call when he paid a condolence visit to the management and staff of the terminal over the death of David Elegbede, the union’s unit chairman at the terminal.
Having listened to the outpouring of encomiums for the late unionist, Comrade Adeyanju said that sincerity of purpose mattered in everything one is committed to doing in life.
Describing the deceased as someone who cared for the workers and the management, Adeyanju admonished the workers to emulate the good deeds of his best ally.
According to him, late Elegbede was one of the best crane operators in the ports.
He also used the opportunity to inform the workers that their new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) would soon be signed into operation.
“I thank the management but I must confess that I lost my best ally in the struggle. I have known him for more than 25 years. He was one of the people that liberated this terminal.
“Let us be good ambassadors anywhere we find ourselves. He would always advise me on what to do on the CBA.
“What Elegbede has laid down here, let us build on it. We can have more of him in this terminal.
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“Very soon, we are going to sign your CBA, he knew about the operations and when you need information that will guide the system, he would provide and found solutions to the problems, that’s why I call him solution man
“He had contributed immensely to the success of the terminal, he is going to be used as a sacrifice for our struggle here to get a better package.
“I appreciate the management for the concerns given.
“APMT will miss him greatly because he weighed options and a fearless purposeful leader, a man of wisdom, a man of character.
“Since I heard the news of his death, I have not been myself.
“I want the management to look inward to be of assistance to the children that the man left behind
“He came and played his role and we will continue to celebrate him even in death,” he promised.
Earlier, the Dockworkers Branch President, Comrade Ibrahim Tajudeen Ohize described the death of Comrade Elegbede as a great loss to the union and management of APMT
He called on the management of the terminal to make sure that the children are engaged saying that the payment of his benefits alone would not be good enough.
“It is a big loss, God gives and God takes. Before you can see PG here, that tells you that David was an important person.
“David was not the type that cared for himself alone, he cared for his workers. Since it happened, the union was not happy because he was a future leader.
“He was a good father and was desirous of training his children
The only thing the management will do is that saying his benefits is not enough. He was a Bale, he was doing street lights for his people.
“He is a man we cannot forget. I am pleading that the management should absorb at least, one or all his three children.
“Today, we are talking about him, what would people say about you tomorrow? For you to see the head of the union here because of a unit chairman, it means he was a good person to the union.,” he submitted.
Welcoming the union, Mohammed Nadji, Engineering Director of APMT alluded to the selfless nature of the late unionist saying nobody could be like him in caring for his members
He added that late Elegbede would always respond to questions from the management even as he would give details.
Speaking on behalf of the manager, Nadji said that the terminal would take care of his family.
“I can swear that I have never seen in my life a got from the union the truth to his colleagues like David. I don’t need to be emotional he was very fair, he cared about the business and company. If you ask any questions, he answered, he gave full details of any questions.
“He talked about his colleagues, I wish everyone here to be another David. This is life and nobody can change not minding your religion
“Our role here is to take care of his family. I am talking on behalf of the management.
“Our boss is not here but I can tell you that he is affected. Thank you for coming,” he said.
