Bracing for yet another bleak Workers’ Day

By Victoria Ngozi Ikeano

SIR: If you thought last year’s Workers’ Day was unique because of the novel corona virus pandemic with its concomitant negative effects that made the day to be celebrated on a very low key, what would you say of this year’s May Day?

The circumstances under which Nigerian workers are marking the day appear to be worse than last year’s.  Can the traditional march pasts in a carnival –like atmosphere that characterize Workers’ Day celebrations take place in some 24 states across the federation? Even in the relatively peaceful states, the tension enveloping the country due to rising insecurities with insurgents, bandits, criminal herdsmen, gunmen and their likes roaming about, resulting in deaths and displacement of thousands of Nigerians are palpable; will it be morally right for workers to hold any  May Day parades in any state capital and Abuja?

It would be more sensible for workers’ umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to totally cancel any such celebration.

The mood this year is somber as the average Nigerian worker grapples with the challenge of keeping his head above water in addition to catering to the basic necessities of his family, namely, food, shelter, clothing, education and healthcare. The percentage of those earning salaries is small in comparison to our total population. A higher percentage of the country’s population is either unemployed or underemployed. This puts further stress on the worker as the number of people dependent on him/her is increasing. And with purchasing power shrinking due to galloping inflation, it is to be expected that this leads to frayed nerves.  So far, in the first four months of this year alone, we have witnessed a multitude of strike actions.  They include those by the judiciary workers (JUSUN), medical doctors under the aegis of resident doctors association, non-academic staff union of tertiary institutions.  The apparently ‘strike weary’ Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended their nine-month long strike early this year.

The incidence of hypertension has increased among workers of all classes and other segments of our population. Depression which we generally do not consider as a health problem and so hardly talk about, is higher in our communities now. Jobs are shrinking. Unemployment is a curse, under-employment a lesser curse of sorts while those lucky to have full time jobs now bear a greater burden – having to feed more mouths amongst their unemployed and underemployed households and families. What is more, salaries and wages are no longer regular as most workers no longer get their pay and stipends as and when due owing to general economic downturn. Even the N30, 000 minimum wage is not being adhered to by many state governments in the face of dwindling resources. Thus many workers no longer joyfully keep tab of the days of the month in expectation as there is no certainty as to when or if they would get their salaries and wages in any particular month. Thus hope is replaced by depression.

Many Nigerians seek solace in religious activities; others seek to drink away their concealed sorrows and depression but as even the price of alcoholic drinks have soared, they are now turning to local brews.

Many endeavour to suppress these questions through diversions, by enmeshing ourselves in one form of modern day entertainment or the other. In spite of the unique times in which we live, despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune hitting us all, notwithstanding the tumult all around us, I still wish us all, a happy Workers Day.

• Victoria Ngozi Ikeano, vikeano@yahoo.co.uk