In many countries of the World, May 1st is recognized as workers’ day celebration. A holiday celebrated every year. In Nigeria, May Day as a holiday was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980. It became a national holiday on May 1st, 1981. It is a day workers converge to celebrate and agitate for better welfare and working conditions. Ironically many do not know the origin of the May Day celebration, but the Kogi State government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello is giving us a leading clue to how it all started.
“If you think by hanging us you can stamp out the Labour Movement… the movement from which the down-trodden millions, the millions who toil in want and misery, expect salvation. If this is your opinion, then hang us! Here you will tread upon a spark, but here and there, behind you and in front of you, and everywhere, flames blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out’’.
In case you are wondering who is languishing in pains and sorrow above, it is no other person but August Spies, Labour Leader hung for the Hay Market deaths in United States of America in 1886. The above were his last words before he was executed along 3 other labour leaders. In memory of this struggle and the struggle of all workers for better conditions, May 1st was declared an eight-hour holiday in 1889, by the International Workers’ Congress in Paris. The workers in Kogi State can be liken to the workers in 1886, the only difference is that, the workers then were executed instantly but those of Kogi State are dying gradually from hunger, abject poverty and penury orchestrated by the Government of the day in Kogi State.
It is worthy of note that workers in the state are been owed 4 months’ salary while the pensioners groans in pain and extreme poverty as they have not been paid a penny for over six months. The salary of primary school teachers under this government have also gone from bad to worse as they are been paid 20% of their salaries and are also owed many month arrears. I curiously ask how we got to this level. This is a government that has received 4 months allocation from the Federal Government but paid only 2 months’ salary. It is also important to mention that the Governor has borrowed monies amounting to billions of Naira from Zenith bank but with little or nothing to show for it. As I write, the state government has received the sum of 20 billion naira as bailout fund from the Federal Government. All we see around is the display of luxurious vehicles recently acquired by the Governor, his aides and wives, expensive and unnecessary oversea travels among others, even when the workers will have to bear the brunt.
Today like every other May 1st the workers gathered in Lokoja to celebrate May Day, but the big question is, what are they celebrating? The answer is not far-fetched, anguish, sorrow, pains, poverty and penury which were made worse by the callous smile of the Governor. Indeed Kogi State workers more than any other state needs bailout, not financial bailout this time but men who will prioritize their welfare and place their interest above personal enrichment. Until then, I sympathize with the hard working civil servants of Kogi State.
– Adetayo Opeyemi Duke
Abuja.
