Union Power: The Quest for Political Power by the Labor Movement in Nigeria

Abstract

The labor movement in Nigeria has been a pivotal force in the country’s political trajectory. Political historians have traced the emergence of labor to the pre-colonial era with the emergence of guilds and crafts. But it was not until the colonial period we saw the advent of organized labor, which was largely a response to the exploitative and dehumanizing conditions of the colonial political economy. During this period, labor unions also intensified their political struggles as the exploits of Michael Imoudu during the nationalist struggle clearly showed. Similarly, in the post-colonial setting, labor has been critical of government policies and actions, as repeatedly demonstrated in the struggles over new minimum wage and against increase in the pump price of petroleum products. In examining the powers of unions, this chapter analyzes the formation and place of the Labor Party in Nigeria’s fourth republic. Relying on secondary sources, the work argues that the Labor Party, both in conception and organization is a bourgeois contraption that lacks the vital elements of a truly Workers Party, and therefore, is a far cry from what can best address the fears and aspirations of the Nigerian working class.