Comrade Abdul Kareem Motajo, Member of WFTU Presidential Council from Nigeria participated to the 5th Quadrennial Delegates Confrence of NASU held on November 23-24, 2011 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Here is the greeting message delivered by Abdul Kareem Motajo on behalf of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU):
“ITS TIME TO REBUILD THE CLASS ACTION BASIS OF OUR TRADE UNION STRUGGLE”
On behalf of over 78 Million workers in 162 Countries affiliated to the First International Trade Union body, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), and from the Office of its Secretary General, Comrade George Mavrikos, we greet all members of NASU as you here-in gather to conduct one of the democratic rituals that has been eluding humanity since the evolution of mankind. This process of seamless transition of power and re-negotiation of social mandate remain a constituent component of trade unionism from the birth of wage slave.
NASU recently re-linked with the class-based working class organisation, WFTU recently and remains one of the platforms where we believed that we can entrench abiding radical and revolutionary culture of trade unionism for the mutual benefits of our organisations, the working class, Nigeria, the African continent and the global labour movement. We have a lot to learn from you as much we look forward to international working action and solidarity from your organisation. It is our humble expectation that we shall together construct a veritable relationship for the social transformation of Nigeria and re-discovery of the humanity in trade unionism.
It is important as you conduct this important Delegates Conference to note that while most organisations and nations are struggling to implement various aspects of gender mainstreaming and affirmative actions, your union has ebulliently displayed that it has a rare capacity for women to lead on the basis of agreed principles for social justice and emancipation of the working class. Comrade Ilya Idrisu has provided leadership in situation where even the angels fear to tread.
It calls to mind working class women of action who were dogged organisers and fighters at the several apogees of working class struggles, we recall Rosa Luxembourg, Santo Maria, Maria Garcia, Wining Mandela, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Magareeth Ekpo, Queen Aminat just to mention a few. In essence, our message is that it is only a working class organisation that can organise a truly democratic society, WFTU is proud to provide leadership; it is only working class movement that can eliminate discrimination and all forms of segregation, WFTU proudly identifies with this; it is only the labour movement that can fight social injustice, oppression and exploitation, the WFTU is a proud progenitor of this battle!
It is most apposite for us to remind ourselves that the WFTU is closely monitoring the heroic class based actions of the Nigerian trade union movement, from the perennial struggles against increases in the prices of petroleum products, to the critically acute resistance against
collapsing economy, corruption and rudderless leadership, the wage increment scientific struggles and the dire need to construct genuine peoples’ democracy.
We know that it may not be yet uhuru, WFTU strongly believes that another Nigeria is possible and we are ready to assiduously work with genuine change seekers to attain greater times for this great country!
We are however apt to call your attention to the contemporary, rampaging global crisis provoked by the apostles of neo-liberal, market economy. No matter what may be said to the contrary, the advanced industrial economy is facing several and endemic downturn arising from creed, vicious exploitation and wickedness. No matter the name they call it, global financial meltdown and economic crisis is having ripple toll on both the employers and employees but it is the workers that are daily forced to be left in the cold lurch. As it were today, having been driven to the wall, the working class in even Europe and America are reacting to reclaim the dignity of labour. Many platforms of business and Government in these countries are collapsing. In the same manner that the people are rising in the Maghreb, so are the people occupying strategic socio-economic junctions in the advanced industrial world.
As we wish you a successful conference, we urge to reflect deep on the looming socio-economic crisis that the working class will face and draw into your ingenious pouch on how to salvage the working and toiling people. No Messiah will come to save Nigerian working and toiling people but ourselves, NASU would play a pivotal role in this process. WFTU believes that Nigerians must stop treating eczema but face the scourge of leprosy. We have come to the end-road and need to re-design ourselves for better society that shall benefit our great people and societies. It is an onerous task to maintain historic duty of salvaging the working people. We must strife against all elements that disrobe us of our sensitivity and put us on the firing line for the collective class enemies of the working class.
Once again, on behalf of the international working class movement, we salute and wish you the best of National Delegates’ Conference.
Thank you.
Fraternal regards,
Com. Abdul Kareem Motajo
