by Ranti Joseph
Remember the civil servant, Femi Owolabi, who almost committed suicide due to unpaid salaries by the state government, his family members have denied the report saying it was a family affairs.
Owolabi, a level-4 Environmental Officer in the council, reportedly attempted suicide on Thursday last week by drinking Gramozone in his B 19 Ogbon Egbe street, Ibokun residence. Speaking on behalf of the family, his sister, Yemisi Oladipupo, also a civil servant working in the department of community and social development of the same council area, said the incident had no connection with unpaid salary at all.
“That incidence cannot be connected to unpaid salaries at all. Though, our salaries have not been paid up to date, people have started receiving alert for Februray salary now. So, why would he kill himself because of salary?
“I believe it was the devil at work and it is purely a family affair. I see no reason why our family should be dragged into politics by giving such information that it was caused by non-payment of wages.
“Those that said the incidence was in connection with salary matter goofed completely by saying he is a senior civil servant, because he is a level 4 officers”, she said.
Oladipupo also denied that Owolabi was never at any time admitted at any hospital in Ile-Ife, saying he was only admitted in a private hospital in Osogbo on Sunday after being treated at home for about three days in Ilahun, a community in Obokun local government where his mother resides stating that the reporters got the information wrong.
She also said the victim’s wife and children have not relocated anywhere as reported by the newspaper but the wife was in the hospital with the husband while the kids were in school.
Olapupo condemned what he described as armchair Journalism, saying it has done damage to the name of the family.
However, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, David Owoeye, who was quoted to have confirmed the connection of the incidence to unpaid salary, denied making such confirmation.
“Though, I was called by the Punch correspondent, but what I told him was that I did not have the information. Why would I speak on what I do not know?
“It is very unfortunate and worrisome that I was quoted wrongly on such issue that involves life”, he said.
Leave a reply