Easter: NLC says Nigerians never signed up for suffering

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has decried the worsening socio-economic conditions in the country, declaring that Nigerian workers and citizens are being forced to endure hardship they never consented to.

In its Easter message, the labour centre lamented what it described as deepening poverty, insecurity, and governance failures, while calling on leaders to embrace sacrifice and people-oriented policies.

The Congress also urged Nigerians to draw strength from the Easter season by renewing their resolve to demand accountability and resist policies that impose suffering on the masses, stressing that meaningful change would only come through collective action and solidarity.

In the message, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, said: “As we celebrate Easter this year, the Nigeria NLC salutes the resilience, unyielding spirit, and daily struggle of Nigerian workers and the masses in their pursuit of dignity, justice, and a better life.

“This season is not merely a religious ritual; it is a profound moment of ideological clarity. It reminds us that God’s infinite love for humanity was demonstrated not in abstract words, but in the ultimate act of sacrifice—the giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to break the chains of sin and death.

“The sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary was not for personal gain but for the redemption of humanity. In contrast, the sacrifices demanded of Nigerian workers today are ones to which we never consented: the sacrifice of our wages on the altar of profiteering, the sacrifice of our safety on the altar of insecurity, and the sacrifice of our lives on the altar of missed opportunities for effective governance. Meanwhile, many leaders shield themselves in armoured vehicles and heavy security, refusing to make any meaningful sacrifice.

“We call on Nigerian leaders to learn from the Cross. Governance must not be seen as an avenue for primitive accumulation but as a platform for sacrificial service. Those in positions of authority must understand that policies should serve as tools of liberation, not instruments of oppression.

“Just as Christ, through the Cross, broke the grip of darkness and exposed the forces of oppression, we demand that the government use its power to dismantle the stranglehold of poverty, exploitation, insecurity, and infrastructural decay on our people.

“Today, the soaring cost of transportation places a heavy burden on workers. It devours wages, consumes time, and reduces daily life to a struggle for survival. The persistent lack of electricity is not merely a technical failure; it is a form of mass disempowerment. It cripples industries, destroys small businesses, and plunges homes into darkness, denying the working class a life of dignity.

“We demand that the pains of today be transformed into victories for the people through the implementation of policies that restore public transportation, resolve the electricity crisis, end insecurity, and prioritize the welfare of the masses over the profits of a privileged few.

“We further call for humane and responsive governance anchored in the needs of the people. The use of state power to suppress workers’ rights, silence dissent, or impose austerity measures that benefit a tiny elite while burdening the majority is a betrayal of leadership and a negation of the spirit of this season.

“The resurrection of Jesus Christ symbolizes triumph. Just as Christ rose victorious, so too shall Nigerian workers rise from the depths of poverty, exploitation, and poor governance. However, this triumph will not come through passivity. It will come through collective struggle—through the organized power, solidarity, and determination of the working class to reject injustice.

“The NLC remains steadfast in this struggle. We will continue to work toward a Nigeria where the nation’s wealth serves the welfare of the many, not the luxury of the few.

“We wish all Nigerian Christians, and indeed all Nigerians, a Happy Easter. “May this season renew our commitment to liberty, strengthen our resolve to demand sacrifice from our leaders, and inspire us to build a nation where justice, peace, and prosperity are the birthright of all.”

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