By Peters Adeyemi
The Integrity Group of Industrial Unions wishes to express its shock on the dastardly murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde by yet to be identified assassins in his residence in Benin City, Edo State in the early hours of 4th May, 2012.
We condemn this cold blooded murder which has deprived us of one of our best brains and committed comrades in the labour movement. We wish to note that it is in recognition of Comrade Oyerinde’s intellect and commitment that he rose within ten years to the top hierarchy of the labour movement as Deputy General Secretary of the NLC. As international secretary of the Congress, the late Comrade Oyerinde made many friends for the trade union movement from around Africa and beyond.
We urge the Federal Government to immediately set up the process for a diligent investigation of this brutal assassination and bring anyone found culpable to face justice no matter how highly placed such as person might be.
We commiserate with the Oyerinde Family as well as the Edo State Government for the tragic murder of their loved one. We pray that almighty God will give them the strength to bear this tragic and irreplaceable loss. We shall forever remember our departed comrade as a detribalised and patriotic young Nigerian who gave his all to the service of fatherland; first in the student union movement (where he rose to be a member of the national executive of the then vibrant National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and later the Nigerian labour movement, before he went on secondment to serve Edo State, where he met his premature death.
The Integrity Group is prepared to liaise with the family for the upbringing of the young children that have been left as orphans by the unconscionable murderers, as a token of our appreciation of Comrade Oyerinde’s service to the our movement.
Comrade Peters Adeyemi
For: Integrity Group
