Meet Ex-banker on hunger strike, sleeps on the street

At the garden on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way,Olubiyi Odunaro turned part of it 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.

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Odunaro, a senior manager of the defunct bank,Hallmark Bank Plc, said he began the hunger strike on November 12. 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.”

“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 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.

By the way he is 55years.