A near pandemonium was averted Monday morning as protesting staff of Jimoh Ibrahim and some members of Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, gate crashed and disrupted the ongoing 5th Energy Group GMD Conference, holding at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.
The protesters, who stormed the hall while Ibrahim was taking on his staff on a strategy lecture, launched into protest songs, demanding for their 14-month salary arrears. For 15 minutes, the drama was beamed live on AIT.
Appearing unfazed in spite of Ibrahim’s attempt to bully them by calling for security operatives to move them out, the protesters demanded that they would not bulge and the confab would not continue unless Ibrahim or his representatives dialogue with them.
Speaking after the protesters have been convinced to have a meeting with some of the Group executives, Ibrahim said he has no apologies owing the staff because they failed to generate their income after he had given them all the wherewithal, yet they expected him to get loans to pay their salaries.
“I cannot borrow to pay their salaries. It is not sustainable,” Ibrahim said. According to him, it’s only the media section of 16 companies in his conglomerate that has salary issue. However, the man many see as ‘Corporate Bully’, said he’s ready to deal with the problem from that moment.
In line with that, Ibrahim, shunned the rules of contract in corporate governance and sacked Bolu Afolayan, the managing director of Newswatch Media Ltd. He went on to appoint on the spot Mr. Demola Abimboye as the new managing director.
Abimboye, a seasoned journalist and until now editor of Newswatch Magazine, present at the conference, is expected to turn around the fortune of both Newswatch Daily and the monthly magazine.
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