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On February 17th , 2007, the Nigerian labour congress, NLC, at its 9th delegates’ conference in Abuja, set a historic example to the Nigerian state, especially to the present crop of politicians controlling the Nigerian political landscape, the labour movement conducted a free, fair and a civilize election, where delegates from various labour unions across Nigeria , converged in Abuja, and freely elected whoever they wanted to lead the congress, at the end, Abdulwaheed Omar of the Nigerian Union Of Teachers and many unionist were elected to steer affairs of the labour, for the next four years.
The way and manner the NLC conducted its election is really important to Nigerians, for the fact that, Nigeria is on the path to conducting a general election, for the first time; where a civilian government will be transferring power to another civilian government. The NLC has thrown a strong challenge to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), at this moment where public confidence on INEC to be an unbiased umpire, is speedily thinning, the delegates have thrown a challenge to the Nigerian electorates to elect politicians who they think would provide good governance for Nigeria, at a time where a good number of Nigerian citizens do not have faith on most politicians , the newly elected leadership of the NLC has also thrown challenge to politicians to be issues oriented, in this period where political campaigns has been relegated to nothing but climbing the podium hurl abuses to one’s opponents, dance and shout the name of your party. Equally, the past leadership of the labour have shown to those in authority, that power is worth parting with at the appropriate time, and non-manipulation of the election process to favor one’s anointed candidate, and respecting term limit in political office are vital ingredients in strengthening democracy; and, an easy way to win a sincere affection from the common man .
The 21st centaury labour union movement has gone beyond only protecting workers right, but it has become a vital voice to the voiceless, and a strong weapon in peacefully facing tyrants, who are bent in holding their nation to hostage, and caging their people in a perpetual prison of poverty for the sake of clinging to power; Dictator Lansana Conte of Guinea, was forced to succumb to the will of his people after weeks of protests from Guinea’s labour unions. The capability of comrade Abdulwaheed and his co-pilots to be pragmatic and objectively stand on the ideals of the labour, principles of due process, the defense of democracy and the protection of public choice will be tested on how the labour will responds to issues concerning INEC’s conducts before and during the forth coming elections, government interference on the electioneering process; and more importantly where will the labour stand if the 2007 elections is rigged either by the incumbent or the oppositions .
The strength of the labour is not only its size or the size of their bank account. It is the level of commitment of its leadership and their heart. Like the Nigerian polity, the labour movement has had its own fair share of hustle and bustle and uncalled for military government interference. The labour union was first dissolved in 1975, which led to the appointing of justice Adebiyi to look at the most of the unions, equally in 1987/ 88 the government under IBB intervened again, similarly General Abacha dissolved the NLC on August 1994, during the present government of president Obasanjo, the labour reform Bill was cleverly designed by the government in order to cut down the strength of the labour movement. But at the end, NLC came out stronger, with more unions joining the congress, as testified by Adams Oshiomhole, during the delegates’ conference in Abuja.
The new NLC leadership has come at a critical period of Nigeria’s match to a truly democratic, free and liberal society; civil society groups and the public are hoping that, comrade Abdulwaheed will continue from where Adams Oshiomhole stopped. At his farewell message, comrade Oshiomhole, called on his successors to work hard to see that, Ibadan strong man, Lamidi Adedibu is kept where he belongs; Oshiomhole’s call has indeed raised a thorny question, would the NLC be able to do it? At this time that Adedibu appears to be a very strongman in the Nigerian political landscape, and he has the ears of the president Obasanjo, who happens to be an overbearing president. No right understanding person expects the NLC to confront the Authorities, just for the sake of it. But the new NLC leadership must know Nigerians are expecting a lot from them, especially at this critical period of Nigeria’s democracy.
Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta
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