The Nigeria Labour Congress has used its Easter message to issue a stinging indictment of the country’s leadership, declaring that Nigerian workers and citizens are being made to bear a burden of suffering they never agreed to.
In the message, NLC President Joe Ajaero lamented deepening poverty, insecurity, and governance failures, while calling on leaders to embrace sacrifice and people-oriented policies.
Drawing on the symbolism of the Easter season, Ajaero drew a sharp contrast between the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the sacrifices being extracted from ordinary Nigerians.
“The sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary was not for personal gain but for the redemption of humanity. In contrast, the sacrifices demanded of Nigerian workers today are ones to which we never consented: the sacrifice of our wages on the altar of profiteering, the sacrifice of our safety on the altar of insecurity, and the sacrifice of our lives on the altar of missed opportunities for effective governance,” he said.
Vanguard News also reports how the NLC president did not spare the political class. He noted that many leaders shield themselves in armoured vehicles and heavy security, refusing to make any meaningful sacrifice, and called on those in positions of authority to understand that governance must not be seen as an avenue for primitive accumulation but as a platform for sacrificial service.
Ajaero urged Nigerians to draw strength from the Easter season by renewing their resolve to demand accountability and resist policies that impose suffering on the masses, stressing that meaningful change would only come through collective action and solidarity.
The Easter message comes against the backdrop of sustained labour pressure on the Tinubu administration. The NLC and the Trade Union Congress have proposed a new minimum wage of ₦154,000, up from the current ₦70,000 approved in 2024, citing worsening economic conditions, rising inflation, food prices, and transportation costs.
The NLC has also demanded urgent government action over petrol prices, which now range between ₦1,170 and ₦1,300 per litre nationwide, warning that the hike has deepened hardship for workers and the general public.
On the path forward, Ajaero remained defiant. “The resurrection of Jesus Christ symbolizes triumph. Just as Christ rose victorious, so too shall Nigerian workers rise from the depths of poverty, exploitation, and poor governance. However, this triumph will not come through passivity. It will come through collective struggle,” he said.
The NLC reaffirmed its commitment to working toward a Nigeria where the nation’s wealth serves the welfare of the many, not the luxury of the few.
