The complete demystification of NLC

When I saw the news report citing NLC’s resolve to continue the strike, I fell into a spasm of laughter. What strike, these old people are really not just clownish but remain ridiculous while at it. They have failed to read the mood of the public, blinded by their shallowness and wrong perception of their role in present day Nigeria, remain stark naked in the view of the rest of the world.

NLC used to be the bastion of courage; the hope of the masses and the bulwark against misrule. The NLC strike used to be a concise weapon used to flog successive governments and turn them away from tyranny. It reached its peak twice in its history. The first was during the Pa Imoudu era when it fought the colonial lords to a standstill. In modern times Governor Oshiomole led it with pride and stood face to face with the OBJ regime, fighting this same fuel
increase wahala with gusto and full support of the public.

However despite all these, the NLC had always come to the scene riding a narrow vehicle of parochial interest, pushing the need to increase wages and stabilizing transport fares hence their strong resolve to fight to a standstill fuel price increase. Their initial success prompted them to set up a political party which has failed to make any mark in the political landscape.

This total humiliation of the organ has signposted the end of virile labour unionism in the country and this is very dangerous as we may have lost a virile opposition. The blame for this humiliation falls squarely on the feet of its leaders. They have not realized the changing work environment. With increasing globalization and increase access to better qualitative education, the work place has witnessed a revolution led by the increase in entrepreneurship. The number of independent employers of labour keep increasing while those within the employ of government and structured organizations which make up the membership of the NLC continue to decimate although they still remain quite large. This has affected effectively the cohesion within the labour unions.

Read also: Just before the battle

Another reason again is the changing issues that workers relate to. Today most workers are more interested in sophisticated issues beyond just wages and welfare. They look towards better competitive training, financial and career empowerment, entrepreneurship, access to technology amongst others. These issues the NLC do not have the capacity to address hence their resolve to remain in the darkness that is their wages and transport fare politics.

Years of decimation by successive governments both military and civilian has taken its toll seriously on its ability
to mobilize. Also the dearth in student unionism which used to feed into its mainstream has also led to its weakness.

Students today are better mobilized by music, social media and other more powerful trends. The financial empowerment that comes with access to the Internet, the information at their fingertips raises the consciousness of the average student far beyond the mundane politics of student unionism, and by extension labour politics.

So today, what we have is a dinosaur. An effigy of the past and a crowd of adire wearing old men who have been totally detached from happenings within the socio-political economic milieu.

I doubt if the NLC have a research team, I doubt even if they have analysts who could help in guiding policy. If they did, this ill-fated strike would have been avoided, for they would have been told very clearly that we have no other option than to deregulate and withdraw government resources from this petrol wahala.

I doubt though that they would have listened because as I want to believe, drugged by ego, greed and self aggrandizement they would have ignored the warnings. They would have still gone ahead to dance naked exposing their shrivelled privates to the continuous glee and laughter of the rest of the world.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now