By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has praised a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Hassan Summonu, describing him as a pivotal figure who strengthened Nigeria’s labour movement and expanded its influence beyond the country.
Obasanjo spoke on Wednesday at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, during the 85th birthday celebration and book presentation held in honour of Summonu, where he also disclosed that he authored the foreword to the veteran labour leader’s newly launched book.
Reflecting on Summonu’s tenure, Obasanjo said his leadership helped reposition organised labour in Nigeria and across Africa, noting that the former NLC president played a critical role in shaping a more cohesive and effective labour movement.
The former president used the occasion to revisit the circumstances that led to the reform of Nigeria’s organised labour during his time in office. He recalled that prior to the reforms, the country’s two major labour centres were allegedly funded by foreign intelligence agencies during the Cold War era.
According to Obasanjo, one union reportedly received support from the Soviet-era KGB, while the other was backed by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a situation he described as unacceptable for a sovereign nation.
“This was the reality at the time,” Obasanjo said, stressing that the foreign influence made it necessary to overhaul the labour system.
He explained that the reforms were aimed at establishing a single, independent labour movement that would be organised, controlled and funded solely by Nigerians.
“I needed for Nigeria a Nigerian labour union — organised by Nigeria, controlled by Nigeria, financed by Nigeria. So I decided there was going to be a labour union reform,” he stated.
Obasanjo said he appointed Justice Adebiyi to oversee the reform process, which eventually led to the formation of the Nigeria Labour Congress as a unified national labour body, with Hassan Summonu emerging as its first elected president.
He recalled that the reform efforts initially faced resistance from some labour leaders, including Summonu, who questioned his involvement in labour affairs. However, Obasanjo maintained that his intention was never to control the union.
“I don’t know anything about labour, but I know that I wanted a Nigerian labour organisation organised by Nigeria, headed by Nigeria and funded by Nigeria,” he said.
The former president added that the restructured system ultimately improved relations between government and organised labour while preserving the independence of the union.