petrol at N162 per litre.
The Federal Government has reconvened the meeting with
the organised labour to continue dialogue on the recent increase in
the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff.
At the last meeting which held two weeks ago, the dialogue was
suspended to enable the government do further consultations as the
labour leaders insisted on the reversal of the new prices of petrol
and electricity tariff.
In his opening remarks at the resumed negotiation on Monday in
Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige,
noted that much of the consultations have been made since the last
meeting.
He also informed the labour leaders that a lot of work has been
done by the Federal Government team on the issue of
palliatives.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss
Mustapha, on his part, stated that the interests of the country and
its citizens have continued to drive the discussions so far and the
various positions taken.
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pole.
He maintained that the government has never seen the organised
labour as a nuisance, rather it considered it as a critical
partner.
According to the SGF, the organised labour has constantly drawn
the attention of the government to the need to improve the welfare
of the Nigerian people.
The labour leaders were led to the meeting by the leadership of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress
(TUC).
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, informed the government team that
the labour leaders expected that progress should be made,
especially on how to reach some of the milestones set during all
previous meetings.
For the TUC President, Peter Esele, the meeting would be a
successful one as he would be discussing with peace of mind.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has said Nigeria is not
only at war but also is in a war zone.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
Soyinka made this statement today against the backdrop of
large-scale insecurity in the country while launching his latest
novel, Chronicles Of The Happiest People On Earth, a book he
published at 86.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
“I think we are not merely at war, we are in a war zone, ” the
literary icon maintained.
The Nobel Laureate also said there is a high level of insecurity
in the country so much so that people now sleep with one eye open
and the other closed, and cautioned that unless our leaders allow
decentralization of governance and accept that they have failed, we
might have a new set of conflagration along different lines unlike
before.
“The term, one eye open and one eye close has become a common
parlance everywhere” he said.
Asked how long it took him to write the novel, the Nobel
Laureate said it took him forever, adding that writing the book was
a problem he dealt with for many years. And he had to escape twice,
first to Senegal and then to Ghana before he could concentrate on
the book. And he actually spent about two years to write it.
“I just could not concentrate sufficiently within these
borders,” he maintained.
Asked whether he feels things have changed since independence,
the literary icon said nothing has really changed, adding that the
more things seem to be changing, the more they remain the same.
Soyinka also decried the dependence of Nigerians on religion,
adding that it reduces our humanity. He also said it is only when
Nigerians learn to reduce their total dependence on religion that
that is the only way they can habit with it. However, the Nobel
Laureate said believing in something rather than oneself enlarges
one’s humanity.
Asked again what his mood was, whether it was pessimistic or
optimistic, the Nobel Laureate succinctly said: Happiness, adding
that he takes everyday as it comes.
It was an evening of music spiced with readings of excerpts from
the book, Chronicles Of The Happiest People On Earth. Guests who
read excerpts from the book alongside the author included Somtom
Asibelibua, who read in English, French and Spanish as well as
Richard Move Damijo.
Guests in attendance included the Minister of Works and Housing,
Rotimi Amaechi, Chief, Newton Jibunoh and Professor Ebun Clark.