Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has officially announced the death of its General Secretary, Comrade Emma Ugboaja.
In a communique signed by the NLC President Comrade, Joe Ajaero, after the National Executive Council (NEC) held in Enugu yesterday, the labour movement expressed deep sorrow and shock at the passing of Ugboaja.
The communique titled: ‘A Dark Cloud Over the Labour Movement: We Announcement theTragic Passing Unto Glory Of Our General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja’, NLC stated that, “It is therefore with the deepest sorrow and a heavy sense of loss that we, the leaders of Nigerian workers, officially inform the nation and the global trade union movement of the passing of our revered General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja.
“The NEC received the heartbreaking news of Comrade Ugboaja’s transition from his family. He answered the final call in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026, after a protracted illness which he fought with characteristic stoicism and courage.”
NLC described late Ugboaja as a true soldier of the working class, adding that he deflected attention from his personal travail, focusing instead on the burdens of Nigerian workers, even in his final days.
“Comrade Ugboaja was not merely a General Secretary; he was the quintessential “General Secretary of General Secretaries.
“He was no ordinary man! An erudite scholar, a passionate advocate, and a cerebral strategist, he brought to the trade union movement an intellect that was as sharp as his legal mind, honed at the University of Calabar.
“He denied himself the comforts and privileges of life to shield the Nigerian worker and the oppressed masses, not just in Nigeria, but throughout the globe.”
The NEC resolved that NLC will give the late General Secretary a fitting rite of passage.
Consequently, the leadership of the NLC said it is currently working in close partnership with the family to ensure he is accorded the dignity and honour he so richly deserves
The Labour Centre also said that Ugboaja’s commitment to international working-class solidarity was a testament to his internationalist conviction.
It said that during his tenure, Ugboaja was a robust figure at the negotiating table and a rugged presence on the picket line.
“He was a man of the people, serving as a delegate at the National Political Reform Conference in 2005 and the National Conference in 2014, where he articulated the cause of the downtrodden with unparalleled clarity. He was a brilliant blessing that walked amongst us and a very steady voice.”