Why NLC Chairman, Joe Ajaero Deserved Workers’ Salute, by Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim

The saga of the Nigerian government, the security agents and the Nigerian Labor Congress, NLC on the workers’ minimum wage and rights is something to write about. Though, other charges submerged against the NLC president. The charges are under scrutiny and verification, until the dust set down people can have a clear view of the situation. But, the doggedness of the NLC President on the condition of workers deserves applause.

The concept of democratic leadership is said to be a no do-or-die affair, but its acceptance must be a total submission to the will of the people. Leaders face trajectory move by insiders and outsiders forces, at most times, only the destined see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The purpose of writing this article is to hail the NLC president for being a man of his words who has never failed his people despite threats and intimidation.

On Wednesday, November 1st, 2023, Joe Ajaero, President of Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), revealed that he was arrested and brutalized by some operatives of the Nigeria Police allegedly attached to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo when he visited the state to exercise his constitutional franchise. As a legal body, NLC was in Owerri to protest against alleged maltreatment of workers in the state and before the commencement of the protest police invaded his privacy, bundled, beaten and detained him for doing nothing against the law of the land. This is the most common abuse of human right before the face of the world!

Many assaults were done to the NLC presidents since the return of democracy in 1999, but they have been with their people and continue to be on the right side they belong to.

The former NLC president and the past governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole had tasted the pains of true leadership. A time ago, he recounted his experience on how he was arrested by secret police at a gunpoint during the democratic  government of Olusegun Obasanjo’s government.

“They dragged me on the tarmac and I had my cuts all over the place. They forcefully prevented me from flying and took me back to the DSS director general’s office — then Col. Kayode.”

That was a time the government wanted to remove subsidy and the Labor Union projected the cost of life on the people, gave the government protest ultimatum, the former Chairman was arrested at an airport traveling to Delta State just to stop the protest.

The immediate past chairman, Ayuba Wabba was agonized through his leadership tenure. He was almost killed in Kaduna state during a protest against the state government for sacking almost 30, 000 of the local and state workers.

“While we are here, they came but thank God we have chased them away because we have the number. We are not thugs And We Are Not Using Thugs, we are Nigerian workers,” Wabba said.

Consistently, the antecedent of the Nigerian workers’ welfare flashes the picture of how some leaders suffered for being at the side of their people, not only within the NLC leadership.One was how the late Northern Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello sacrificed his life for the cause of the people, their safety, and their welfare.

Before the ugly date of January 15th, 1966, the late Premier of the western region, Samuel Ladoke Akintola visited the late Sardauna of Sokoto from Lagos. Sardauna received him at the airport and thereby Akintolo told Sardauna of the plot to eliminate them and advised him to run for their lives. Sardauna jettisoned the idea right away and said he rather “die with his people than to run away to save his life”, he also convinced Akintolo and agreed to live with his people than running away.

On the faithfully Friday of  January 15th 1966, after Friday prayer and usual shopping from the Kaduna Leventis Store, the coupists descended on their targets, invaded Sardauna house, now Arewa House, first shot his wife and killed the Premier of the Northern region, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello. That doggedness for the people, that believe in leadership were many examples of good leaders. The 1966 coup led to the death of Sardauna of Sokoto, Late Akintolo, Sir Abubakar Tabawa Balewa and many other top politicians from the North and the Western regions of Nigeria.

On the conquest of the Northern region, Caliph Attahiru the first of Sokoto Caliphate became took the hard way and the only way because of the people. When the palace heard about the arrival of the colonists, the sultanate had a conference with the kingmakers on how to resist the colonizers. The Caliph tabled two suggestions; one faction was with the opinion to confront the whites and another to migrate to Makkah for lesser pilgrimage to avoid the confrontation. But, before the departure to Makkah the forces of the whites invaded Sokoto, the Caliph and some knights survived the war and fled rather than submitting themselves to the will of the whites. This event took place on the 15th March 1903.

“Today is a sorrowful moment in the history of democracy in Nigeria. Early in the morning today, we got credible information that El-Rufai has hired one Alhaji Hassan and some thugs to come and attack us.

Good leaders are with their people, no amount of pressure, torture, or vanquish reign them in the light of the day. The story of the death of Moshood Abiola, Dele Giwa, Ken Saro Wiwa, Sheik Jafar Mahmud and Walter Rodney should have been a difference story if we don’t have concerned leaders who could sacrifice for the people.

The spirit of the Trade Union, NLC and other sisters union have been doing well in the pursuance of the Nigerians welfare. After many months, sittings and agreement the unions and the Federal Government agreed to pay N70, 000 as the minimum wage with the condition that petroleum price will not be hiked. Surprisingly, while the new minimum wage is not paid the petroleum price was increased from ₦568 to ₦855, ₦897 (depending on the location per liter).

Unionism and comradeship is the symbol of late African Reggae musician Bob Marley, as he said:

One Love! One Heart!

Let’s get together and feel all right.

Hear the children cryin’ (One Love!);

Hear the children cryin’ (One Heart!),

Sayin’: give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right;

Sayin’: let’s get together and feel all right. Wo wo-wo wo-wo…

“The children are crying”, indeed the children of Nigerian workers are crying, dying in hunger and many passed away by the turmoil of depression.

Presently, hunger is ravaging the people, blood soaking the land and only the government at mercy of the “crying children” the spirit of one love is the concern of the NLC.

At the present, the picture of Nigerian is ugly with captions of poverty, hardship, killings, kidnapping, and abuse of human rights.

As the NLC pleaded and requested for the payment of the new agreed minimum wage we pray that the Federal Government will act accordingly to help reduce the suffering of Nigerian workers, the tribulations of Nigerians while we continue to pray for the guidance, protection of President Joe Ajaero for his one love for Nigerian workers and being a true leader of the people.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim (Goronyo) is a lecturer of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dept of Mass Communication, sent article via auwalgoronyo@gmail.com