A growing wave of concern has greeted the killings of two teachers in Oyo State, with stakeholders accusing labour leaders and education unions of maintaining silence over the tragic incidents.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, public affairs commentator Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa condemned the deaths of Mr. Adesiyan Joel Adegboye and Mr. Michael Oyedokun, describing the incidents as painful reminders of the worsening insecurity confronting teachers and ordinary citizens across the country.
According to the statement, Adegboye was reportedly killed by bandits in April and buried on Thursday, while Oyedokun was allegedly murdered in a bandits’ camp after being abducted.
Agbesanwa lamented what he described as the “deafening silence” from labour unions and education stakeholders in Oyo State, noting that the absence of strong reactions from organised labour sends a dangerous signal to teachers who risk their lives daily in the line of duty.
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“The labour movement has always stood as the voice of the oppressed and defender of workers’ welfare. It is therefore surprising that little or nothing has been publicly heard from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in Oyo State concerning these tragic killings,” the statement read.
He specifically called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state, urging them to demonstrate solidarity with teachers and demand justice for the slain educators.
The statement also criticised the silence of teachers’ unions, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), stressing that teachers should not continue to die in active service without decisive action from bodies entrusted with protecting their welfare.
Agbesanwa warned that continued insecurity and lack of response could weaken the morale of teachers across the state and beyond.
He called on security agencies, labour unions, and relevant authorities to intensify efforts toward securing the release of abducted teachers and students still in captivity, while urging the Oyo State Government to prioritise the safety of educators and learners.
“The lives of teachers matter. The blood of educators must not become ordinary statistics,” he stated.
He further stressed that history would not be kind to any society that remains silent while its teachers are being killed.
