by Fatai Abiodun
The unanimous election of Comr. Joe Ajaero as President of the Nigerian Labour Congress did not come to many as a surprise because his antecedents as a trusted fellow and his position of dying for the cause of others remains evergreen as demonstrated over the years.
The Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] was formally constituted as the only national federation of trade unions in the country in 1978. Before then, four labour centres existed. These are Nigeria Trade Union Congress [NTUC], Labour Unity Front [LUF], United Labour Congress [ULC] and Nigeria Workers Council [NWC]. The emergence of the NLC ended decades of rivalry and rancour involving the four centres and unions affiliated with them. The unions, numbering over 1,000 were also restructured into 42 industrial unions.
The organisation has had a chequered history, surviving two instances of dissolution of its national organs and the consequent appointment of state administrators. The first was in 1988 under the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Congress’ opposition to the anti-people Structural Adjustment Programme incensed the military administration to take over the NLC.
Unarguably, everyone agreed that whatever affects workers, affects all; and since the government is the highest employer of labour, the need for the entire Nigerian Workers to elect someone whose voice would ring loudest in expressing their anger on how the government of the day are treating them is paramount for the survival of their dignity.
The rate at which the Nigerian Government at all levels are taking the plight of their workers is not fair in all ramifications, and how can one justify the injustice of reward for labour when those in the public and civil services are not on equal pay after working for the same hours?
The current salary of the common Nigerian worker is equal to nothing compared to their counterpart in a developed country. This singular problem contributes a lot to the advancement of corruption in the system. Ajaero will fight this to a standstill. Even the incoming government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu knows that the labour union under the leadership of Comr. Ajaero is in for serious business and would no longer be a customer as usual.
Comr. Joe Ajaero as a voice for Nigerian labour will put an end to how the government across board has turned Nigerian workers into halleluyah ‘boys’ and restore their dignity. If anyone is doubting Thomas, the election of Ajaero is not accidental but historic at a time when a genuine voice is needed to fight for the plights of Nigerian workers.
What is the joy of labour, if workers’ salaries cannot relieve them from little financial obligation? How many civil servants can lay claim to a roof on their heads? The situation is bad and those that spent their ages as civil servant has nothing to show for it.
What is the essence of being employed when one finds it difficult to pay bills? Today, governments at all levels have completely eroded the dignity of labour from workers and this nonsense has got an expiry date with the coming of Comr. Ajaero.
The dignity of labour or the dignity of work is the philosophical holding that all types of jobs are respected equally, no occupation is considered superior and no discrimination on any basis shall be allowed to triumph any longer and private business owners would not be accommodated to treat workers shabbily.
Today, the common microfinance banks are now giving credence to the class of Nigerian workers before they could get give a loan and the housing sector is no longer for the benefit of common Nigerian workers. How do we get here?
Karl Marx who is considered a philosopher of labour maintains that the concept of labour constitutes a central place in the analysis of capitalism, the theory of human nature and the ideal of a classless society. According to Marx, labour, as a distinctive feature of man, appears alienated in the capitalist society.
Today, the urgent need to balance the gap between the rich and the poor in the country is to fight for a classless society where there will be the dignity of labour. The rate at which labour leaders are congratulating the government for payment of salaries and allowances must stop and the need to hold the government accountable for the pro-masses policy will top the agenda of the new labour leader.
The only saving grace for the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu not to be in conflict with the labour union is to use the avenue of his inauguration to make an executive order for immediate review of workers’ salaries that would reflect the true economic reality.
Comr. Ajaero, I know will not celebrate the payment of N30,000.00 as minimum wage when the litre of fuel is N200.00.The fate of Nigerian workers is in good hands and their voices and plights would take the centre stage now than before.
Lastly, Comr. Ajaero is knowledgeable, articulate and a team worker who has volunteered to deploy all these arsenals for the greater good of the Nigerian workers. He’s someone that will lead from the front, and as a student of law, he knows where and when to take a shot for goal-scoring.
To the Nigerian workers, do not despair, the end of suffering is near and Comr. Joe Ajaero will give you another reason to be proud as a worker.
Fatai Abiodun, an ICT Expert, Journalist, and Public Affairs Analyst writes from Abuja.
albarka200709@yahoo.com
