NLC and Obasanjo: This General Must attend Anger Management Class

Kunle I Sowunmi

One of the reasons for intolerance is lack of knowledge and ability to stand any mentally challenging debates. Any person that resort to violence or dirty trick to silence the voice of opposition in any form including legislation of law to weaken opposition can be said to be lacking in developed intelligence quotient. In ability to manage anger is a deficiency of leadership capability.

In the language of the most respected American President Bill Clinton when he was asked how he viewed his adversaries. He said and I quote. “Our critics are best friends. They help to bring out the best in us” and when asked if he forgave his enemies after he got out of the impeached imbroglio that almost consumed his presidency Bill Clinton said “for us to forgive others is to ask God to forgive us” meaning do not expect God to forgive you if you harbor unforgiving spirit in you.

The recent Bill to weaken the Labor Congress as submitted by Aremu Obasanjo to the House and Senate did not only show the inner hatred of the President for the Nigerian workers but to make sure the 140 million Nigeria workers never had a say in the affairs that touches on their day to day life again. The Nigeria Labor Congress has come a long way. I have followed the NLC procedure from Summonu era as the first President of NLC after it was reformed.

I have witnessed how the lives of labor leaders were destroyed in Nigeria including Student leaders like Sunday Ladele “LADO” the president of Yaba Tech during Shagari regime. Lado as he was popularly called, was never allowed to graduate with his mates because he made the civilian government of Alhaji Sheu Shagari to revert to OND and HND programs which Obasanjo changed to NND (Nigeria National Diploma) because of his frustration to be registered as an engineer by the society of Nigeria Engineers in the seventies.

In addition, Banji Adegboro was rusticated from the University for his role as a union leader including host of others. The NLC the umbrella of Nigerian workers has firmly stood on the part of freedom, with a focus leadership except during the timid leadership of Pascal Bafyaul.

NLC has never disappointed Nigeria workers with its steady and focus leadership under Oshimole this organization seems to be the last hope of Nigerian democracy including the leadership of the present Chief Justices of Nigeria whom I have lots of respect for which is the reason we must all stand against Obasanjo’s threat to the freedom of NLC

It is just very important to return Obasanjo this anti workers Bill or Law back to him unapproved, and unsigned if possible with a reprimand to stop wagging war against the helpless Nigerians. In my article titled Obasanjo unfair to Governor of Plateau State” I predicted if Obasanjo is not checked the relevance of the second tier of government will be made irrelevance. The National Assembly may be turned to rubber stamp for Obasanjo to attain he objective against Nigerian workers since 1976 during his time as a military Head of State.

It is our hope Obasanjo will tuck in his pride and summon the courage to take a correspondence class on Internet on Anger Management or watch the Jack Nicholson movies on Anger Management. His outbursts on any occasion that require demonstration of tolerance and maturity maybe an indication of shortcoming in the intellectual capacity to manage affairs in a democratic and complex structure like Nigeria and this can be corrected through ANGER Management class.

Kunle I Sowunmi

Dallas Texas USA