FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF NAKSS AND ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MY PERSON
I have had to restrain myself from gratifying these baseless, unfounded and malicious allegations against my person aimed at tarnishing my hard earned reputation with a response. I however owe it a duty to my friends, family, acquittance, associates, admirers, offsprings and above all conscience to set the records straight.
While I understand fully the underbellies, I must state clearly without any fear of contradiction that these allegations are nothing but mere fallacies without an atom of truth.
To the glory of the Almighty, God has used me to maintain and sustain the Fakayode family name known for its integrity and contentment even in the face of serial temptations.
I rose within the ranks to the peak of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Kwara State, where I served meritoriously without blemish, I lived an humble and dignifying life dedicated to serving and agitating for a better life for Kwara workers throughout my days in active struggle till date.
I was offered choice properties and money running into millions during my headship of the NLC some 2 decades ago, in exchange for betraying the labour movement, all these I politely declined as my conscience was never for sale.
I suffered immensely for that principled stand, but my conscience was happy and at peace with my creator and to me, that was all that matters.
Most of the dramatis personae are still alive today and they surely can corroborate this narrative about Bisi Fakayode’s days in active labour movement.
I had to digress to raise a valid point, which is the fact that I stood with my conscience more than 2 decades ago, when I needed and cherished all the good things of life as a young man, it’ll be foolhardy of me in my twilight to now go back to trading my conscience for monetary benefits.
It is even disheartening that the association in question, NAKSS which is a student body comprises of youths in the same age bracket as my grandchildren. Therefore, if I cannot mentor them on how to be a non-compromising, constructive and articulate unionist, I’ll rather be neutral than engage in unholy dealings with them.
Upon assumption of office as Special Adviser on Labour matters, i made a vow to always serve with my conscience and I have avoided anything against my conscience since then till now.
It was a challenge to me when overseeing Student matters was added to my portfolio. Knowing that bursary payment was one of the major issues I’ll be grappling with, while the Students will remain adamant on accessing it, I also knew the lean pulse of the government and the enormous challenges the government was grappling with.
I assumed the position of a dispute resolution expert, making both parties see reasons why we all must work together. If not for the trust the government and the student bodies reposed in me, we wouldn’t have been able to maintain a cordial relationship until the finances of the state improved and we were able to pay bursary to the students.
My office received list of the benefiting Students from the Institution’s management and that was the list the scholarship board worked with throughout the duration of the bursary payment.
I neither actively involved in the payment nor visited the schools during payment, so I don’t know how I could have been bribed as alleged in the write-up. I must at this juncture expressly state that under no circumstance was I offered gratification nor received kickbacks from anybody, not tot talk of students who are like my grandchildren.
I dare anybody to come out with evidences that I received anything before, during or after bursary disbursement directly or through proxy from any of the parties.
It must be clearly stated that NAKSS constitute less than 10% of my job dictates, which comprises various unions and associations both in the formal and informal sectors in the State. It is worthy of note that none of this other unions have ev