Nigeria @63: NLC Issues Powerful Message To Nigerians Ahead Nationwide Protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has released a powerful message to mark the 63rd Independence Day of Nigeria. In this message titled “63RD INDEPENDENT DAY MESSAGE TO ALL NIGERIAN WORKERS AND PEOPLE BY THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)… NIGERIA: THE TRAVAILS OF A MISMANAGED GIANT”, the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, addressed the country’s downward spiral since its early days of independence, emphasizing the critical need for reforms and a nationwide strike to demand change. According to Ajaero, Nigeria, which was once seen as a promising giant on the world stage, has suffered from mismanagement and corruption over the decades. He recalled the optimism of the nation’s early years, with thriving agriculture, industries, and a population full of hope. The healthy competition among regions drove progress and prosperity. “However, the promise of Nigeria’s early independence years soon gave way to a series of missteps, corruption, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, widespread corruption, and political instability became the hallmarks of the nation’s trajectory. “One striking example of this decline is the demise of Nigeria Airways, a once-thriving national airline with a global presence. Today, Nigeria has neither a national airline nor a national shipping line, which has led to embarrassing situations like the ill-fated Nigeria Air project. The country’s once-strong currency, the Naira, has also weakened significantly in comparison to the U.S. Dollar,” Ajaero said. The press release further questions the privatization of key assets, including power generation and distribution companies, aluminum smelter companies, and steel manufacturing companies, which seem to have failed to deliver the expected benefits to the Nigerian people. On the healthcare and education fronts, the NLC expressed concern about the declining state of public hospitals and the exorbitant cost of quality education, leading to many Nigerians seeking education and healthcare abroad. The message also raises the issue of insecurity, particularly the challenges in combating Boko Haram insurgency, despite the military’s past successes in conflicts like the Nigerian Civil War. Furthermore, the NLC said it has not overlooked the plight of Nigerian workers, who face unfair labour practices, inadequate wages, and the burden of rising fuel prices. They argue that the minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient to meet basic needs. The NLC extended its message beyond criticism, as it called on Nigerians from all regions to unite, demand transparency and accountability from their leaders, and work toward a brighter future. The NLC’s nationwide strike, scheduled for October 3rd, aims to draw attention to these issues and rally citizens to be active participants in reshaping their nation. Comrade Joe Ajaero reminded Nigerians that the path to a better future for their nation requires collective effort. He called on the people to join hands and build a coalition to address the nation’s challenges, transforming Nigeria into a truly independent and prosperous nation once more. See Full Statement Below: 63RD INDEPENDENT DAY MESSAGE TO ALL NIGERIAN WORKERS AND PEOPLE BY THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)  NIGERIA: THE TRAVAILS OF A MISMANAGED GIANT Our nation with all its flaws at conception possesses a great potential to be amongst the best economies of the world. It had the promise of a nation destined to be prosperous and continually developing. At independence, it began to demonstrate the signs that it was going to fulfill these expectations especially with all the giant strides being recorded in all the regions that made up the country. There was a healthy competition amongst the diverse regions for progress with pacesetting and record-breaking achievements all around the nation. When Nigeria gained independence on October 1st, 1960, the world watched in awe as a nation endowed with abundant human and natural resources took its place on the global stage. With a thriving agricultural sector, burgeoning industries, and a diverse and vibrant populace, Nigeria held immense promise. The spirit of unity and hope that characterized those early years was palpable, and it seemed that we were poised for greatness. The famous groundnut pyramids became the symbol of a prosperous north while the famous Cocoa House standing on the Cocoa output and the Western Television showed the readiness of the Western region to outpace others with the Eastern region demonstrating its prowess in Palm produce and its rich technological start-ups. It was indeed a nation poised for greatness as the sky beckons. Our Hospitals and Educational institutions were top notch as royalties thronged our shores for medical treatments while Asian and other African students found home in our citadels of learning. We had a nation that could feed, house and cloth her people; a nation whose citizens lived in prosperity and enjoyed a life that was comparable to that possible in all parts of the globe. Our currency which was originally the British Pounds and was changed in 1973 to the Naira was stronger than the U$ Dollars but was at par with the British Pounds. Going abroad for studies or to live was not attractive and foreign nationals thronged our shores for greener pasture. Social infrastructure was efficiently maintained and the public utilities remained functional. As we celebrate Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary, it is important that we drew our attention to the fact that this nation was once a great nation filled with great hope inspired by great leaders until inept and corrupt leaders took over the helms of affairs and ran the country aground. The crisis of leadership is truly the crisis of our national development.  The continued mismanagement of our resources has made it difficult for us a nation and as a people to make sustainable progress rather, we have continued to march backwards with every preceding year looking worse than the previous one.  Regrettably, the decades that followed were marked by a series of missteps, mismanagement, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, rampant corruption, and political instability became defining features of our nation. Instead of harnessing our potential for the collective good, our leaders often pursued personal interests, leaving the masses to grapple with the consequences. There is no other way