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Three former top management staff of Odu’a Investment Company Limited have dragged the company before the National Industrial Court, Ibadan division over alleged nonpayment of their entitlements.
The ex-staff included former Executive Director, Finance Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Rasaki Adeniyi Badmus; former General Manager, Business Development Odu’a Investment Company Limited Bola Jaiyeola and former Managing Director Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Kayode Adenigba.
Addressing journalists at the premises of the court, the trio declared that they had to drag the company to the court presided over by Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale due to the non-payment of their final entitlements running into over N50 million .
They informed that they had tried all efforts, meet stakeholders and top personalities from the six states that own the company (South Western states) to persuade Adewale Raji, incumbent group managing director of the company, but all efforts made to ensure that the matter did not become a media issue proved abortive. They said they were left with no option than to approach the court to claim their entitlements.
Badmus, who retired in June 2014 in the claim sheet number NICN/IB/12/2018 said he approached the court to seek for the payment of the sum of N26, 545,267.40, his final entitlements. Adenigba who retired in December 2014 in his claim sheet number NICN/IB/13/2018 approached the industrial court for the payment of the sum of N19, 575,069.77, while Jaiyeola who retired in June 2014 in his own claim sheet number NICN/IB/11/2018 said he had no option than to approach the court for payment of N4,268,697.89, his final entitlements.
One of the counsels to the trio, Olabisi Ibironke while speaking during the mentioning of the cases argued that her clients retired about four years ago, tried several ways to get their entitlements, hence they approached the court with the belief to sought relief.
Justice Opeloye Ogunbowa after listening to arguments of counsel to both the claimants and defendants however, adjourned the case till April 26th for proper mentioning.
Reacting, Head of Corporate Affairs of the company, Victor Ayetoro said that he was surprised that the ex-staff had dragged the company to court despite continuous engagements with them.
Ayetoro said: “The Ex-staff (Badmus, Jayeola, Adedipe, Salami, Aderinto, Oyeleke and Adenigba) were employed into the services of Premier Hotel, a subsidiary of Odu’a Investment Company Limited. As senior managers, they were deployed at various times to serve in the Management Team of sister Hotels, Lagos Airport Hotel Limited, Lafia Hotel and Head office.
“Upon retirement from services of Odu’a, their gratuities were computed and apportioned based on the years of service in each subsidiary company they worked and that of Head office.
“To date, the Head office and Lagos Airport Hotel Lagos with the exemption of Western Hotels (Premier and Lafia) have settled their outstanding.
“Unfortunately, Western Hotel (Premier Hotel and Lafia Hotel) is currently undergoing serious financial issue and have appealed for their patience.
“Odu’a Investment Company Limited as a parent company came to the aid of the Western Hotels by seeking for loan to refurbish the hotels as well as settle these outstanding liabilities.
“We have also continually engaged with the ex-staff; it is therefore, surprising that they have dragged Odu’a Investment Company Limited to court.”
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan
