The minimum wage strike embarked by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, June 3, 2024, started on good note, however, like in the game of chess, the Federal Government left the union on checkmate.
That was how the NLC president, Joe Ajaero who was hailed as the hero of the day became an enemy of the people within a twinkle of an eye.
You see, on that fateful day, Nigerians had made up their minds, they were willing to bear the consequences of the strike.
Nigerians united in one voice, and like a lion, they roared, in a loud and thunderous manner.
It was so much that in split of seconds, the entire country felt the effect of that roar.
The Sacrifice
For the first time in a long while, Nigeria as country was on total shut down.
Economic activities were grounded.
To crown it all, there was darkness, we mean, total darkness.
Indeed, Nigerians felt the effect.
But they saw it as a sacrifice for the better, and they were willing and ready for it.
In Lagos, staffs of the FIRS were flogged out of the office.
Court rooms, hospitals, passport offices, schools, etc. were all shut.
Checkmate
The Federal Government also felt the effect of that strike.
If not for anything, the shame and dent it will leave on the country’s image was enough to prompt them into action.
But then, while the unions were busy enforcing the strike, the government was busy devising a means to checkmate them.
Or how else would explain the fact that an agreement was ready to be signed in such short notice.
Oh, are you just thinking of it?
You see, the Federal Government had offered the Organised Labour 60,000 Naira as minimum wage, an offer which they outrightly rejected.
The Big Question
However, Nigerians were later told that the unions during a meeting with the Federal Government agreed to a above 60,000 naira offer.
To worsen things, an agreement was presented, and they signed.
Also Read: Minimum Wage Strike: A Win Or Loss For Nigerians?
“What if they decide to add 5k to make it 65k, or add 3k and make is 63k?”
That is the question Nigerians have been asking as they express their disappointment in the unions.
Let’s not forget that “agreement is agreement”, in Wike’s voice.
You needed to have seen the look on the faces of Nigerians as the president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo explained that the union will not accept any little addition to the proposed 60,000 naira.
“Story For The Gods”
Osifo made this known on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
He was asked whether labour would accept a few thousand naira additions to the offer.
The TUC boss said: “No, we also told them
“It’s not that we’d get to the table and you start adding ₦1, ₦2, ₦3,000 as you were doing
“We got some good guarantees here and there that they would do something good.”
To many Nigerians, “that one na story for the gods”, especially as they have already signed that agreement with the government.
Well, there are others who are hopeful.
Now, Nigerian workers will have to wait for some days to know their fate.
