The Nigerian Labour Congress
has just announced end of her participation in the fuel subsidy protest which
commenced in Nigeria on the 2nd of January, 2012. Technically, that
brings to an end the resistance of the Nigerian people to the hike in the price
of fuel announced by President Goodluck Jonathan January 1, 2012. Historically,
labour is central to civil resistance struggles in Nigeria due to the central
role the labour movement plays in the dynamics of economic relations upon which
the state functions.
For many Nigerians in the
streets, it is a painful betrayal as they had resolved not to tolerate any
increase in fuel prices and have, in the past eight days, given up everything
in furtherance of their commitment.
As usual with resistance to
bad government policies in Nigeria, lives have been lost. Many have been
injured. There has been devastating economic sacrifices by the people. With
labour compromising the struggle at 3 naira less than One Hundred Naira per
litre, the question is: if there was any basis for the resistance at all? The
dead have died in vain. It is for their families to go bury their dead.
Not withstanding, many
Nigerians particularly in Lagos still came out to protest today. They were
randomly intimidated by armed soldiers who had been stationed by government to
maul and kill any in opposition to its anti-people policies.
The workers are expected to
resume work tomorrow and the people to swallow the bitter pills of spiral
inflation which they thought to fight against with their lives.
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