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Labour Threatens to Shut Down Economy, Plans Strike

Published

3 years ago

July 27, 2022

Eric

The Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliate unions on Tuesday defied warnings by the Federal Government and took to the streets of major cities in the country to protest against the failure of the Federal Government to resolve the five-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Specifically, the NLC said the money the two major political parties – the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party – generated from the sale of forms to aspirants could address ASUU’s demands.

In Akwa Ibom, Uche Nweke who represented the NLC National Chairman, Ayuba Wabba, faulted excuses that there were no funds to meet the demands of the university workers.

“The money the two major parties realised from the sale of nomination forms would be enough to put ASUU, universities on their feet. We the Nigerian workers are the most understanding people. We call on the national leadership to listen to voice of reason, whatever it takes they should send our children back to school” he said

Apart from Akwa Ibom, other states which witnessed protests included Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Enugu, Benue, Sokoto, Lagos and Plateau.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, last week had claimed that a security report also sent to his office by the Department of State Services, strongly warned against holding the protest.

Also, Ngige had in an interview with Channels Television in March said government did not have money to meet ASUU’s demands, which included revitalisation funds for universities.

He stated, “The N1.3trillion you are talking about was promised by the (Goodluck) Jonathan government. Oil was selling between $100 to $120 per barrel then and the revenue of the federation was rich.”

However, the unionists expressed their anger over the Federal Government’s inability to address their grievances, adding that it had become necessary for the current government to leave.

The university lecturers had shut down public institutions on February 14 over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the agreements it made with ASUU in 2009 as well as the refusal of the current administration to exempt lecturers from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

ASUU had also asked the government to increase funding of tertiary institutions and pay outstanding allowances.

The NLC president during a chat with journalists in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom, had earlier said the protest would be against government actions that led to the strike.

On Tuesday, labour union members, National Union of Air Transport Employees and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, civil society groups, and other affiliate unions gathered under the Ikeja Bridge in Lagos causing traffic congestion.

The teeming protesters expressed their concerns in songs and placards, some of which read; “Stop importation of petrol. Revive the refineries”; “IPPIS destroys our refineries. Adopt UTAS now”; “Reduce the cost of governance. Save the masses from poverty and hunger”; “Stop the looting”, “Tax the rich and subsidise the poor”; among others.

The Lagos NLC Chairman, Agnes Sessi, accused the Federal Government of neglecting education.

“It’s been almost a year. Our children are still at home. An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. Children who are not engaged will become internet fraudsters and prostitutes,” she added.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who also took part in the protest, asked the Federal Government to invest the recovered loot in education.

“We are telling the government, enough is enough. Let them stop deceiving our people, they have money. Buhari should collect money from 10 looters to resolve this problem. Just last week, one of them stole N119bn and others have stolen more.

“In Abuja, they are using dollars to pay delegates and are distributing millions of dollars under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s watch.”

Falana said rather than stay at home to fix the country’s problems, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), continued to engage in irrelevant travel like his recent trip to Liberia.

Also speaking, ASUU Zonal chairman, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, said Nigerians must join hands to force the government’s hand.

The protesters, who marched from the Ikeja Bridge to the Lagos State Governor’s office, submitted a letter – which contained all their demands – to the governor

The Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ponle Ajibola, received the letter from NLC Chairman, on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Others who took part in the protest were: The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions, Nigeria Union of Teachers, The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria and other affiliate unions of NLC were at the protest.

The Punch

Featured

Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

Published

5 hours ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

By Gite Igiehon

In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.

Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.

At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.

I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”

On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.

At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.

Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.

As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

Featured

A Glorious 65th Birthday Tribute to Bashorun Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2025

Eric

By Azuh Arinze

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the world will celebrate not just a man, but a living legend – Bashorun Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Abayomi Ajani Momodu – a visionary journalist, media titan, political thinker, cultural ambassador, and an unrelenting force for truth, excellence, and the African dream.

Happy 65th birthday, Bob Dee!

Your life’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional. From the newsroom to all the rooms that matter, from political corridors to international stages, you have remained a beacon of hope, courage, and intellectual brilliance – just like your astounding mentors, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Otunba Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Adenuga. Through Ovation International magazine, you ingeniously gave Africa a mirror to see its own beauty, elegance, and potential. You equally created a platform that elevated our celebrity stories and interviews with pride, power and possibilities.

Your voice has echoed across continents – not just reporting history, but shaping it. Your words have inspired millions, your boldness has challenged systems, and your generosity has uplifted countless lives. Even in adversity, especially while in exile, you carried your convictions with grace, proving that truth is not only worth telling, but also worth living for.

At 65, you effortlessly embody the wisdom of a sage and the vigour of a man still on a mission. May this new chapter bring you deeper joy, divine health, and even greater impact. The world may change, but your legacies – your light and your life – will continue to grow brighter and brighter.

On behalf of all those you have touched, mentored, empowered, and inspired – like my good self – I say thank you and thank you and thank you. You are indeed a national treasure and a global gift that will continue to be cherished and adored.

Happy birthday, Sir, and long may you reign.

With deepest admiration and warmest wishes to one of the best things that ever happened to the journalism profession in Nigeria and Africa.

Azuh Arinze, KSM is the
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and Odenigbo I of Azia

Featured

A Tribute to Chief Dele Momodu at 65: The Man Who Wears the World Like a Cap

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

It is as if Paul Coelho knew Dele Momodu when he said “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple”, for it is quite visible to the blind and audible to the deaf, Momodu has carved a niche for himself as an altruistic, enthusiastic, passionate leader and a big name in all that he does with sterling records of multidimensional success.

How does one describe the essence of Chief Dele Momodu?

To some, he is a journalist who tells truth to power, a role he has been playing for over four decades.
To others, he is the publisher of Ovation International Magazine, the CEO of Ovation Media Group, pan Africanist, and the ink behind many untold stories.
To the politically inclined, he is a fearless voice, a candidate of conscience, a mirror held up to Nigeria’s democracy.
To the culture custodians, he is a walking archive, every handshake, every smile, every frame a testimony to history.
And to those who know him beyond the headlines, he is simply “Bob Dee”, a brother, mentor, bridge-builder, and friend.

Chief Dele Momodu is the embodiment of the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Each man touches a part of the animal and draws a different conclusion, so vast is its form, so layered its truth. So it is with Dele Momodu. You may think you know him, but you have only touched a tusk, or a trunk, or a tail. The whole of him? It is too expensive for one perspective.

This is a man who has worn many caps, not as decoration, but as duty: journalist, activist, publisher, publicist, diplomat, politician, peace promoter and above all, a global citizen. Each role he has worn with authenticity and audacity.

He has stood in exile and yet spoken louder than those at home.
He has been in rooms where power whispers, yet he chooses to shout truth on behalf of the voiceless.
He has witnessed the worst of Nigeria’s turmoil, yet he continues to believe in its best tomorrow.
He is not just an observer of history, he is a participant, a provocateur, a preserver.

At 65, Chief Momodu does not merely carry years, he carries stories, nations, and generations. His journey is not a straight line but a vibrant tapestry: woven with faith, resilience, reinvention, and love. It is a story that tells us that greatness is not a destination, but a life lived fully, courageously, and selflessly.

Sir, today we do not just celebrate your birthday. We celebrate the light you carry. The platforms you’ve built. The battles you’ve fought. The people you’ve inspired. And the generations you continue to prepare.

May your cap never fall. May your pen never dry.
And may history forever remember you, not just as one who told stories,
but as one who became a story worth telling.

Happy 65th Birthday, my dearest mentor…