By Erasmus Ikhide
The Lion Of Labour And Oshiomhole’s Infamy
By Erasmus Ikhide
On December 20, 2025, the echoes of history resonated through Lagos as the family of Pa Michael Imoudu gathered to mark the 20th anniversary of his transition. It was a moment of somber reflection,— not just for the family of “Labour Leader Number One,” — but for a nation that often forgets the shoulders upon which its democracy stands.
Like the people of Ottoman Empire who died because they forgot their history, so does the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the entire gamut of its affiliates’ abdication on the contractual mandate to hold the governments to account while soldering on, striving and engaging in the interests of the long suffering working masses.
The tragic trajectory of the NLC stagnation and the groping in the labyrinth of cluelessness is akin to the river that forgets its source that dries up before terminating at the destination. As a result of the unremitting corruption in the NLC, the deliberate failure and the glaring romanticization with oppressive regimes, Nigerians have elected to take their destiny into their own hands as witnessed in the Genzs protest of #EndSAS fame.
The tribute delivered by Pa Imoudu’s daughter, Dr. Veronica Imoudu-Omosun, was more than a eulogy; it was a piercing indictment of how Nigeria treats its true heroes and a revelation of the “unfeeling” politics that marred his final journey.
A Legacy Forged in Fire
Pa Michael Imoudu was the quintessential “Ironman.” His life was a blueprint of sacrifice. From being detained as an enemy of the British Empire during World War II to leading the historic 1945 General Strike, Imoudu’s “war dress” — the iconic red outfit and beret — symbolized a man who didn’t just talk about the masses; he bled for them.
The personal costs were staggering. Dr. Veronica’s recollection of the British police dragging a sick Imoudu across the floor, an assault that led to the tragic death of his unborn twin daughters, serves as a haunting reminder that Nigeria’s freedom was paid for in blood and grief.
The Poverty of a Patriot
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Imoudu legacy is his material poverty. In an era where modern “labour leaders” and politicians amass fortunes, the man who brought the British Empire to its knees lived in a rented room-and-parlour on Simpson Street. He was eventually evicted when he couldn’t afford to buy the house — a stinging irony for a man who secured the livelihoods of millions.
It took the intervention of Chief Obafemi Awolowo to provide him with a roof in Surulere, and eventually, the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) to build him a home in his twilight years at 104 in the sleepy village of Owan.
The Oshiomhole Infamy: “Can’t You Bury Your Father?”
The most jarring revelation in Dr. Veronica’s tribute concerns the 2005 burial arrangements. While the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) raised funds in Imoudu’s name, the family was left stranded without given them the money.
When the eldest son, Dr. Wilfred Imoudu, approached then-NLC President Adams Oshiomhole for the promised support, he was met with a retort that has now become a stain on the history of Nigerian unionism: “Can’t you bury your father?”
This “unfeeling and dehumanizing” chant, as the family describes it, was more than a personal insult; it was a betrayal of the very foundation of the NLC. It revealed a shift from the selfless communalism of Imoudu to a brand of “ethnic potentate” leadership. As Oshiomhole rose from Governor to APC National Chairman and now Senator, the Nigerians note a pattern of self-adoration and a narrow focus on his Etsako enclave, systematically sidelining the wider interests of Akoko-Edo and Owan.
The ultimate sabotage occurred when Oshiomhole refused to release N2 million donated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the then Governor of Lagos State for a chartered flight. This refusal prevented the planned lying-in-state in Lagos, denying thousands of workers the chance to say a final goodbye to their greatest champion.
Oshiomhole’s blazing devilment was first revealed by ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo who accused him of treachery, hypocrisy, duplicity and double-dealing, as a smart survivalist who lead protests against the government alongside Nigerian workers in the day time, while having his purse full at night!
A Call for Restorative Justice
Today, the struggle continues. The Imoudu family is locked in a battle with the Lagos State Government over land in Ojuelegba — intended for a Michael Imoudu Labour Museum — which was acquired for a bus terminal. The government’s offer of N23 million for land valued at N300 million is seen as a final indignity on the labour icon, his memory and legacy.
As we commemorate 20 years without the “Ironman,” the appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is clear: grant the family alternative land. A museum is not a luxury; it is a necessity to ensure that future generations know that there once lived a man who chose a red beret over a crown and the welfare of the worker over the weight of gold.
Pa Michael Imoudu lived for the people. It is time the people, and the state, finally lived up to his legacy.
Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: ikhideluckyerasmus@gmail.com
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