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NIPOST’s New CEO, Odeyemi, Resumes Amid Worker Protests

Published

7 months ago

October 16, 2023

Stella Charles Akupue

NIPOST's New CEO, Odeyemi, Resumes Amid Worker Protests

Tensions ran high at the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) headquarters in Abuja on Monday as the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tola Odeyemi, assumed her role despite resistance from dissenting employees.

Earlier in the day, a group of workers had staged a demonstration, leading to the shutdown of the office, expressing their displeasure with President Bola Tinubu’s selection of Odeyemi for the role following the dismissal of the former CEO, Adeyemi Adepoju.

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The decision to replace Adepoju, who had reportedly spearheaded significant reforms during his tenure, met with strong opposition from staff loyal to the former CEO. Buba Nehemiah, the President of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees, voiced their concerns, highlighting the fear that the progress initiated under Adepoju’s leadership might be derailed.

“Sunday Adepoju should be allowed to continue the good work he has started. We are not against Mr. President, nor are we against the minister, but our desire is that the good work of Adepoju should be allowed to continue. Removing him at this point would terminate these processes and take NIPOST back to square one, which we are against,” Nehemiah asserted, as reported by Daily Trust.

Despite the ongoing protests, Odeyemi made a bold move by arriving at the NIPOST headquarters around 1 p.m., promptly proceeding to her office to confer with senior Directors. According to sources, she opted to forgo the offered chair and sat elsewhere, symbolizing her readiness to confront the challenges surrounding her appointment.

Odeyemi’s assumption of the CEO marks a historic moment, as she becomes the first female to lead NIPOST. As the confrontation between the aggrieved workers and the new management continues, the future trajectory of NIPOST remains uncertain as both sides strive to uphold their vision for the organization.