VICTORY AT LAST FOR NURSE AISHAT AJIBOLA, OOUTH, OGUN
INDUSTRIAL COURT IN LAGOS QUASHES HER EMPLOYMENT TERMINATION AND ORDERS REINSTATEMENT WITHOUT LOSS OF PAY OR PROMOTION
It will be recalled that Aishat Ajibola and Nurse Tega were in the employment of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) until they were unjustly sacked in 2020 for exercising their democratic rights to free speech and freedom of association. Nurse Tega was sacked for joining the September 15, 2020 mass protest called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) while Aishat Ajibola, the treasurer of the nurses’ union (NANNM) OOUTH chapter, was sacked on November 25, 2020 for speaking against the sack of Prince Tega and raised awareness on workers’ plight and the mistreatment of nurses through an online interview that held on October 5, 2020.
With the support and backing of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) and its leadership, Nurse Ajibola challenged her sack and sued the management of OOUTH in January 2021 and judgment was delivered in her favour on Monday March 16, 2026. According to the judgment, Justice Ikechi Gerald Nweneka declared that the termination of her employment is wrongful and the letter of termination is set aside. The judge also ordered the management of OOUTH to reinstate Nurse Aishat to her position without loss of rank or promotion and also pay her salary from December 2020 to the date of reinstatement.
This legal victory is a landmark victory for Nurse Aishat Ajibola, Nigerian workers and all those currently facing victimization. It will be recalled that OOUTH just like the Ogun State Government has been attacking the democratic rights of workers with impunity. It will be recalled that the Ogun State leaderships of NLC and NANNM did not intervene despite the fact that the victimized workers are their members and were victimized for participating in union activities. This is a wakeup call to the trade union leaders to defend the interest of workers.
The CDWR hail Nurse Aishat Ajibola for standing firm in struggle until victory was achieved; we call on Nigerian workers to emulate her by organizing themselves to fight and defend their common interest including putting in place a democratic trade union movement. CDWR will continue to stand with working people in struggle and solidarity to defend their interests.
Comrade Rufus Olusesan
National Chairperson
Comrade Chinedu Bosah
National Publicity Secretary
E-mail: [email protected]