If there was one thing that stood out Comrade Adams Oshiomhole amongst his equals, it was his doggedness and courage in fighting for the rights and wellbeing of the masses while he held sway as the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
Oshiomhole was able to put the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan under check.
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In fact, for Obasanjo and Jonathan, ‘the fear of Oshiomhole was the beginning of wisdom’.
The number one mandate of any labour leader is that of fighting for the welfare and wellbeing of the labour force which he or she represents.
A labour leader must be fearless and must even be ready to take the ‘bullets’ for the workers and the masses if need be.
The NLC under the leadership of Comrade Ayuba Wabba appears to be failing in meeting the expectations of the Nigerian masses in general and the workers in particular.
In less than a month, the federal government has increased the pump price of petrol twice amidst the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic which had impoverished many Nigerians. Nigerians are now to pay N162 per litre of petrol.
To add more salt to injury, the Discos have also hiked electricity tariffs astronomically.
All that the Wabba-led NLC could do was just to issue mere statements rejecting the hikes and then go back to sleep, believing that would change the situation.
It is high time Wabba and his team rise to the occasion in fighting for the wellbeing of the Nigerian workers and masses.
We don’t want a docile and lame-duck NLC that cannot act boldly and courageously in defence of the masses.
Enough is enough! It is time for action!
We must not all suffocate under some of the anti-people policies of the present administration.
Maxwell Okotie writes from Okpella, Edo State
