Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has urged the Nigerian youths to stay and build the country rather than running to other countries.
He made the passionate appeal while speaking at the 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the National Youth Council of the NLC held in Abuja.
Comrade Ajaero decried the economic challenges facing the country, citing the soaring cost of living, with a 50kg bag of rice now selling for N105,000, transport costs to Port Harcourt exceeding N50,000, and access to basic amenities such as housing and healthcare increasingly becoming luxuries.
Ajaero further appealed to the Nigerian youth to channel their energy into resisting the inequalities and exploitation that have bedeviled the nation saying, “This is not a time for lamentation; it is a time for determination. No one will build our nation for us. Running away is not an option; there is no promised land elsewhere. It is here, on our soil, that the battles must be fought and won.
“You are not just the future of Nigeria, you are the future of the trade union movement. That future, comrades, does not exist on its own. It must be built, shaped, and fortified by your resilience, your courage, and your vision. If you fail in this responsibility. Others with no allegiance to workers or their welfare will hijack that future and shape it in their own image, for their own gain.
“They want to force you to “japa.” Do not “japa” If you “japa” the future of the movement will “japa” and the whole nation will be imperilled.”
Affirming the transformative power of the youth, Ajaero announced plans to establish youth executive councils in every state to deepen their participation in the trade union movement.
These councils, he said, will address youth-specific challenges and foster greater inclusion in shaping policies and driving innovation within the NLC.
“The youth are being equipped because we recognise that the strength and future of the Nigeria Labour Congress depend on you. We need a union that is resilient, adaptive, and future-proofed against the storms of exploitation and oppression. This is your charge to take the torch and illuminate the path for a stronger, more united trade union movement,” Ajaero said.