Former Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joseph Iranola Akinlaja, has appealed for calm, dialogue and reconciliation between the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), warning that the growing public disagreement between both labour centres risks weakening the collective struggle for the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Akinlaja’s intervention Wednesday night (November 4, 2026) comes amid escalating tensions between NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and TUC President, Festus Osifo, over contentious issues surrounding the implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage, transport allowances and questions relating to labour representation in negotiations with government and employers.
Deeply concerned by the public exchange of words between the two labour leaders, the veteran unionist stressed that organised labour must remain focused on its historic mission of protecting workers’ rights and advancing their welfare rather than becoming consumed by internal rivalries.
According to him, the labour movement has consistently recorded its greatest achievements whenever its leaders stood together in pursuit of a common cause.
“The strength of labour has never been in individual personalities or institutional supremacy. Its strength lies in unity, solidarity and a shared commitment to the interests of workers,” Akinlaja said.
He noted that Nigeria is currently facing difficult economic realities marked by rising living costs, inflationary pressures and declining purchasing power, circumstances that require an even stronger and more united labour movement.
“At a time when workers across the country are struggling to cope with economic hardship, labour leaders must concentrate their energies on securing better welfare packages and improved living conditions rather than engaging in disagreements that distract from the movement’s core mandate,” he stated.
Drawing from labour history, Akinlaja recalled how workers’ unions in both the colonial and post-independence eras often achieved significant victories through collective action. He pointed to periods when labour leaders mobilised jointly to demand the implementation of Cost of Living Allowances (COLA), campaigns that succeeded largely because different unions spoke with one voice and pursued common objectives.
Akinlaja also used the opportunity to give credit to the late foremost labour leader, Michael Imoudu, Nigeria’s most legendary labour union leader and nationalist. Known affectionately as “Labour Number One,” he famously led the Railway Workers Union, spearheaded the historic 1945 general strike against British colonial rule, and fought for workers’ benefits like the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
He also referenced landmark reforms that transformed the fortunes of Nigerian workers, particularly the famous Udoji Salary Review of the 1970s.
The reform, which emerged during a period of economic expansion and public service restructuring, led to substantial salary increases and the payment of arrears to thousands of civil servants, becoming one of the most memorable episodes in Nigeria’s labour history.
According to Akinlaja, today’s agitation for improved wages and worker benefits is not unusual. Rather, it is part of the long tradition of labour advocacy aimed at ensuring fair compensation and dignified living standards for workers.
However, he cautioned that legitimate struggles for workers’ welfare should never degenerate into public confrontations, name-calling or unhealthy competition between labour organisations.
“The current campaign for improved worker welfare is justified, but it should not result in rancour, personal attacks or a contest over influence. Such divisions only weaken labour’s ability to negotiate effectively and achieve meaningful results for workers,” he said.
The former labour leader warned that history has shown how authorities and employers often benefit whenever labour organisations become divided. Internal conflicts, he argued, can create opportunities for those opposed to workers’ demands to exploit differences within the movement and reduce its bargaining strength.
While acknowledging past attempts to use divide-and-rule tactics against workers, Akinlaja maintained that the modern labour movement must rise above such challenges by embracing collaboration and mutual respect.
Drawing from his extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, and as former General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Akinlaja highlighted the success story of cooperation between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
According to him, the long-standing partnership, popularly known as “NUPENGASSAN,” has remained one of the most effective examples of strategic labour cooperation in Nigeria, delivering sustained gains for workers through coordinated action and shared objectives.
“In the oil and gas industry, we established a culture of joint struggle and collective engagement through NUPENG and PENGASSAN. That collaboration has endured over the years because both organisations understood that workers benefit more, when labour leaders work together,” he explained.
Akinlaja further noted that cooperation between the NLC and TUC is not a new concept. He recalled that successive leaders of both labour centres consciously built a tradition of partnership that strengthened the labour movement and enhanced its influence on national issues.
He specifically cited the era of former NLC President, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and former TUC President, Comrase (Dr) Shina Luwoye, during which both organisations deepened collaboration through joint National Executive Council meetings, coordinated joint May Day celebrations and collective negotiations on matters affecting workers and the broader Nigerian population.
That spirit of cooperation, he said, helped labour present a united front during critical national debates and enabled the movement to win important concessions from government and employers.
“It is important that the current leadership of both centres protects and strengthens this legacy of cooperation. Labour’s victories have never been built on rivalry. They have always been achieved through collective action, strategic unity and a common purpose,” he said.
Akinlaja urged both Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo to embrace constructive dialogue and resolve their differences away from the public arena, emphasizing that the interests of Nigerian workers must always take precedence over institutional pride or personal considerations.
“Nigerian workers expect collaboration, not conflict,” he stated. “The issue should not be who has greater visibility or influence. The real challenge is how labour can secure better wages, improved welfare, economic justice and a better quality of life for millions of workers.”
He also called on stakeholders across the labour movement, including affiliate unions and labour veterans, to play active roles in fostering understanding, reconciliation and mutual respect between the two labour centres.
Describing the current situation as a defining moment for organised labour, Akinlaja urged both sides to avoid actions that could erode decades of solidarity painstakingly built by previous generations of labour leaders.
“This is a time for bridge-building, not division,” he said. “The NLC and TUC must close ranks, strengthen cooperation and present a united front in defending the interests of Nigerian workers and contributing to national development.”
He maintained that labour unity remains the movement’s most powerful weapon and warned that any prolonged division could diminish its effectiveness at a time when workers most need strong representation.
For Akinlaja, the path forward is clear: dialogue over discord, cooperation over competition and unity over division. Only through a common front, he argued, can organised labour continue to play its historic role as the foremost defender of workers’ welfare and a critical voice in Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
