The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, received with rude shock the news of the departure of a dogged labour leader, warrior against military dictatorship and champion of workers struggles, Comrade Ali Chiroma.
Comrade Chiroma, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC from 1984-1988, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Maiduguri.
A consummate labour leader of distinguish high repute, he was Deputy President of the Nigeria Medical and Health Workers Union before his election in 1981 as the NLC First Deputy President at the Kano Conference.
He was elected NLC President in 1984 at the onset of a renewed military takeover of the country. The Buhari regime which had seized power on December 31, 1983, was intolerant of opposing views, passed irrational decrees such as Decree 4 of 1984 under which speaking the truth was generally lawless and a punishable offence. The Chiroma administration squared up against the stone- faced dictatorship and led workers opposition to it including on the issue of mass retrenchment of workers across the country. He supported other mass organisations such as the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA which had to organize a national strike against the regime.
The Chiroma led NLC, fought the imposition of unpopular International Monetary Fund, IMF conditionalities on the country. He also led several protests against the fuel price hike and privatization programmes of the President Ibrahim Babangida’s administration.
When students were shot at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1986, Comrade Chiroma led the Labour Movement and other mass organisations in the country to protests the senseless and avoidable killings.
During the 1988 NLC Delegates Conference held in Benin, the military regime backed some candidates against Comrade Chiroma, but his team swept the polls. An angry General Ibrahim Babangida then issued a decree banning the NLC and, imposing a Sole Administration on the NLC.
History will be kind to him, he was a man principled and over the decades, avoided the patronage of governments.
On behalf of the National Executive Council of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), we wish to commiserates with his family, the NLC and the Labour Movement and the Nigerian People on the loss of this formidable incorruptible leader of the working people.
Accept our deepest heartfelt condolences.
