by O’Tega Ogra
Earlier today, I had decried the events leading to the unfortunate actions by organised labour to embark on their latest strike action here.
I share the position of the government that this latest action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable, and irresponsible. Why?
To understand, one must consider the current tactics being employed by labour: power outages plunging the entire nation into darkness, airports blocked, and strikes with a precision that hint at motives beyond the surface. These actions do not look like ones seeking justice below the surface; they feel like calculated attempts to throw the nation into chaos.
Again, I repeat, let us look at the timing and execution of these actions and strikes — cutting power, blocking airports, choosing politically sensitive moments — they are not random acts. They are intended to cause maximum disruption. Why? It is not advocacy; it is brinkmanship of the highest order.
Many, including Mr President, would say that at the heart of democracy lies the principle of dissent, the right to voice grievances and seek redress. I then ask: When does dissent cross the line? When do actions, however well-intentioned, begin to undermine the very societies they claim to want to improve?
Organised Labour was once respected as defenders of the working class, now even the working class views them with suspicion. Their current path risks further alienating citizens who once championed their cause, and in turn they risk losing public empathy.
I have a further question: How long should the government keep succumbing to pressure tactics that flout legal boundaries and set a dangerous precedent especially in the face of legitimate court orders from the industrial court which governs labour matters in Nigeria barring Labour from embarking on this strike. Many will agree that it is only a short step from civil disobedience to anarchy — a step that endangers both today and tomorrow.
My personal take is that Nigerians must start to question the path Labour is pushing the country just as it questions its elected representatives. Are labour’s actions in the interest of the nation, or a few individuals?
#TheTiger
O’tega Ogra is the Senior Special Assistant to Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Digital Communications, Engagement and Strategy.
