Febe Falodun & Deborah Hundenu
The Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, descended into chaos on Wednesday, as two opposing factions among the hospital staff clashed over the retirement of the Head of Administration, Mr. David Akaraiwe.
The tense atmosphere exposed deep divisions over the outgoing HOD’s controversial policies and leadership style.
Members of the Senior Staff Association of the University Teaching Hospital, dressed in black attire, staged a symbolic protest against Akaraiwe, condemning him as an authoritarian leader whose policies negatively impacted staff welfare. However, the HOD’s supporters, dressed in white, rallied around him, praising his tenure and celebrating his exit.
The protest reached a boiling point when a unionist at the event, allegedly aligned with the protesting faction, was harassed by supporters of the outgoing HOD.
The incident led to a heated confrontation between both camps, with accusations and counter-accusations further inflaming tensions.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the primary grievance of the protesting staff revolved around a policy introduced during Akaraiwe’s tenure, which enforced salary reductions for certain categories of staff.
According to Comrade Bashir Obabiyi, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association, the circular enforcing the policy was unprecedented and unjust.
“The circular on salary cuts has no precedent in any institution in this country,” Obabiyi said.
“It disproportionately affects senior staff, with some losing up to N200,000 monthly. This is a blatant act of wickedness.”
Obabiyi further accused Akaraiwe of hypocrisy, stating that the HOD had benefited from the personalized salary structure for nearly a decade before deciding to abolish it as he prepared to leave office.
“We believe this policy is a ploy by a power-hungry individual seeking to create division within the staff,” Obabiyi added.
In stark contrast, Akaraiwe’s loyalists described him as a principled and effective leader.
Some supporters insisted that the retiring HOD’s decisions were in the hospital’s best interests and claimed that his departure marked the loss of a “decent and disciplined administrator.”
During the protest, tensions flared further when security personnel, allegedly acting on instructions from Akaraiwe’s supporters, attempted to arrest some protesters and harassed a staff member who is also a journalist covering the event.
Obabiyi condemned the harassment, emphasizing the need to respect people’s ’ rights.
“Harassing a journalist while performing their duties is unacceptable and shows a lack of understanding of the law. Such actions could escalate into unnecessary confrontations,” he said.
The union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the hospital management demanding the withdrawal of the controversial policy.
Obabiyi warned that failure to meet this demand would lead to industrial action.
“If the circular is not withdrawn, we will down tools without further notice. This policy is detrimental to staff morale and must be scrapped,” he asserted.
Despite the celebrations marking the end of Akaraiwe’s tenure, Obabiyi expressed hope for a better administration.
“We look forward to an administration that promotes fairness and progress, free from the misinterpretation of circulars and vindictive policies,” he said.
Obabiyi also called on security agencies and staff to exercise restraint and respect during protests and rallies.
“Our rally was peaceful. We did not damage any property or harass anyone. Security personnel must be careful not to act on baseless accusations,” he advised.
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