Olubiyi Odunaro, a 53-year-old former employee of
Hallmark Bank Plc., has embarked on hunger strike to protest against
non-payment of his terminal benefit.
Besides, the ex-banker has turned a garden on
Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way into his new home, vowing to remain there
until he is paid his benefits.
Hallmark Bank was one of the banks which did not meet
the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recapilatisation policy in 2005 resulting
in its folding up.
Odunaro, a senior manager of the defunct bank, said he began the hunger strike on November 12.
When our correspondent visited him on Mobolaji Bank
Anthony Way, opposite Opebi U Turn Road junction, on Tuesday, he was
seen reading a novel ‘Long walk to freedom’ by Nelson Mandela.
He explained that he embarked on the protest to
expose the insensitivity of the Federal Government to pay the terminal
entitlements of over 14,000 employees of the 14 banks that failed to
meet up with the recapitalisation policy.
Odunaro said he wrote President Goodluck Jonathan on
October 24 informing him of his decision to embark on the hunger strike
if the agencies concerned did not pay them their entitlements on or
before October 31.
He said, “I feel downcast with the turn of events in
our country and I drew the passion to embark on a hunger strike from my
disenchantment to the deliberate denial of common citizens’ rights.
“Before, I began this hunger strike, I sought the
consent of my family members and I also underwent a comprehensive
medical examination. I erected that tent with N27,000 and it is now my
new home.”
Asked if his health has not been deteriorating,
Odunaro said, “Though I take water at 8pm everyday, It’s gradually
taking a toll on me as I have started losing weight.
“My personal doctor came to examine me on Friday and
he said I am not doing bad health wise. There have been pleas from
friends and other loved ones to end this strike. But, I will continue
with the hunger strike until the FG pays us our lawful entitlements.”
He lamented that despite the laid down procedures
contained in the Guidelines and Incentives on Consolidation in the
Nigerian Banking Industry, they had not been attended to.
He said, “It wasn’t our wish or our making to be out
of jobs. The CBN in its own wisdom introduced the recapitalisation
policy and afterwards withdrew the operating licence of Hallmark Bank
where I worked and 13 other banks for failing to meet up with the
recapitalisation policy deadline.
“But, seven years on, the guidelines on consolidation
which make provision for our compensation in view of the development
had not been followed.”
He said despite writing several letters of appeal as a
group to the FG and other relevant agencies concerning the issue, they
had been ignored.
He said, “On a personal note, I even took it upon
myself to get President Goodluck Jonathan informed by posting series of
comments about this issue on his Facebook page.
“Unfortunately, nothing has been done and many of us
live a deplorable way of life with the majority unable to meet
obligations to their children and other dependants.
“Thirty-eight people from just three banks that I
know of have died and one of the employees of Hallmark Bank committed
suicide in Aba, Abia State, as a result of his inability to eke out a
living.”
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