1 May 2007
editorial
Lagos — Today is May Day. A day that has been set aside to commemorate the labour movement in many countries around the world. A brief excursion into history reveals that an international workers' day was first celebrated in 1889 at the Second International. The day was initially set aside to honour workers who had been sentenced to death in the wake of the Haymarket Square riot of 1886.
In the course of time, May Day has become more popular in several countries around the world.
In view of its disposition towards the proletariat, May Day was regarded as a particularly significant day in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other communist countries. In more contemporary times, particularly since 1999, May Day has come to be associated with groups which have consistently staged demonstrations against globalization and capitalism.
In Nigeria here, May Day formally became part of our national heritage during the Second Republic. In the specific sense, it was Bola Ige, the then Governor of Oyo State, who in the spirit of authentic federalism, declared May 1 as a day to commemorate the joy, agonies and aspirations of workers. Since then, the entire nation has joined in, such that, today constitutes another milestone, when Nigerian workers will not be found at their usual duty posts. Rather, they will be out there celebrating (as it were), May Day.
In its substantive form, it is possible to contend that, there is not really much to celebrate on this particular May Day. This cautious optimism is largely owed to the subsisting political tempo of the land. At the moment, Nigerian workers, like their fellow citizens have to contend with a situation in which our much celebrated democracy has been turned to a hollow shell, courtesy of an election whose hallmarks are violence and the consequent subversion of the voters' will. Matters have hardly been helped by the run-away cost of living, for instance, the price of cement, a crucial ingredient in the construction industry has risen by around 100 per cent. Meanwhile, the much touted increases in workers' salaries are yet to be given any concrete expression by the Government. This is in view of the government's schizophrenic stance that, the various establishments must in the first instance, down size, before the salary increases can take effect. Nigerian Workers are therefore caught between the rock and a hard place. On one hand, there is a rising cost of living which is essentially hinged on a pay rise, whose reality continues to recede by the day.
Meanwhile, joblessness continues to be the order of the day, such that, the ranks of workers in contexts like the public, private and informal continue to diminish. A large part of this situation is essentially owed to the dismal state of the power sector. Invariably, the lackluster performance of this sector has generated a situation in which, many factories and manufacturing outfits have had to be closed down. Even those plants that are in operation are only doing so fitfully. This is in view of this critical factor of power. The situation in the informal sector is equally dismal, as various artisans and service providers have similarly been done in by the inclement energy situation which has been unleashed on the country.
Taken together therefore, it is clear that, these are not the best of times for Nigerian workers. But then, as dire as things appear to be, we make bold to say that, adversity can sometimes be an elixir. And this is why we urge the labour movement and its leadership not to be submerged by these daunting times. Rather, the day could and should be used to reflect on the problems haunting labour, such that, a measure of re- strategization will be put in place. This is with a view to ensuring that these problems are effectively contended and contained. As a sage has effectively put it, tough times do not last, only tough people do.
One evident way forward for labour in these harrowing times is to refine its strategies as a potent instrument of pressure on the State. This is with a view to effecting a redress, for the lost years, which have been eaten by the locusts. In the pursuit of this objective, the labour movement and its leadership will need to present a cohesive and a united front. This is precisely, why we are very happy that the two main rivaling unions, The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have decided to sink their differences, with a view to securing a better future for Nigerian workers. This progressive and positive stance is long-overdue. We urge the leadership of the two unions to forge this common front; such that ultimately succour will come to Nigerian workers. In this respect, the leaders of both unions should remember the eternal wisdom in the dictum which states that: united we stand, divided we fall.
At the same time, the workers should make serious attempts to strengthen their internal governance and democratic credentials such that they will be able to overwhelm their exogamous problems. Therefore, on this auspicious occasion of May Day, we urge the workers and their leaders to remain committed to the struggle of ensuring a worthy present and an enduring future for the Nigerian worker. .
This task, as daunting as it appears to be, is not insurmountable. This is more so in view of workers' experiences of positive struggle in various parts of the world. So to workers and their leaders, we wish to commend these immortal words: 'Aluta continua; Victoria acerta'. Consequently, and despite much of the foregoing, we say to Nigerian workers: keep up the struggle; you have nothing to lose but your chains!
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