Local government secretariats across Osun State recorded a subdued resumption of duties on Monday, as workers returned to their offices after an 11-month sit-at-home directive imposed by organised labour over a protracted political and legal crisis.
Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored activities in several councils observed that only a small number of workers were present at most secretariats, despite visible and heightened security deployment.
At the Osogbo Local Government Secretariat, visited at about 8:45 a.m., only a handful of staff were seen within the premises. A similar situation played out at the Olorunda Local Government Secretariat, where fewer than 30 workers reported for duty.
Speaking with NAN, the Chairman of Olorunda Local Government, Kunle Abdulmajid, expressed satisfaction that workers had finally returned after nearly a year of inactivity. He said the prolonged absence of staff had slowed development at the grassroots.
“We are all from this state, and we are all working for the progress of the state. With the resumption of workers today, I am very sure that Osun will move forward,” Abdulmajid said.
At Ife Central Local Government, the resumption was also marked by low turnout. Heavy security personnel were stationed both at the entrance and within the secretariat, with workers subjected to police screening before being allowed into the premises. The workers declined to speak to journalists, citing strict instructions not to engage the media.
In Ede North Local Government Area, some workers were seen cleaning offices, while others exchanged greetings after months away from work. A council staff member, Kunle Ajao, described the mood as one of relief, saying workers were glad to return to their duties after months of enforced idleness.
Ajao added that local government employees were committed to their responsibilities and hopeful that the political crisis affecting council administration in the state would be amicably resolved.
The Chairman of Ede North Local Government, Elliot Adeyemi, said the return of workers was in the best interest of communities at the grassroots, noting that it would enhance service delivery and development across the state.
“I have been at work since February 10, 2025; it was our workers who had been at home for the past 11 months that resumed today. The atmosphere in the local government is calm, and nobody is harassing or sending the workers away,” Adeyemi said.
He called for cooperation and collaboration among workers, stressing that synergy was critical to achieving meaningful growth and development at the local government level.
The resumption followed months of paralysis in local government administration arising from a February 10 judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure. While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) argued that the ruling did not reinstate the sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors elected in 2022, the APC maintained that the judgment restored them to office.
Amid the uncertainty, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) had, on February 17, 2025, directed workers to withdraw their services, citing security concerns.
However, on December 29, 2025, the national leadership of NULGE ordered members in Osun State to resume duty. The state NULGE chairman, Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, said the decision followed extensive internal consultations and fixed January 5, 2026, for the resumption.
The directive was opposed by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Osun State. In a statement, the ALGON chairman, Samuel Abiodun, urged security agencies to hold Ogungbangbe responsible should there be any breach of peace across council areas.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command warned politicians and interest groups against any attempt to disrupt the resumption. In a statement by its Deputy Public Relations Officer, Giwa-Alade Emmanuel, the command said it had received credible intelligence about plans to sabotage the process and vowed to maintain peace and public order across the state.