The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has said the late Second Republic President, Shehu Shagari would have industrialised the country but for the 1983 coup that brought Muhammadu Buhari to power.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said this yesterday while mourning the demise of the former president.

In a statement he signed, Wabba stated that Shagari signed into law the National Minimum Wage Act of 1981 that provided for a new national minimum wage of N125, which was equivalent to about $200.

The statement reads: “We at the NLC would like to join Nigerian government, world leaders, family members and other Nigerians in mourning the death of Alhaji Shagari, elder statesman and first executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As President, Shagari, as he was popularly known, was humble, personable, considerate and broad-minded, some of the reasons that explained his popularity among ordinary people. Shagari initiated some of the landmark projects, including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub.

“Not a few hold the view that but for the coup that removed him from power in 1983, unceremoniously cutting short his second term, Shagari would have seen through his vision of a highly industrialised Nigeria.”

Commending on the former President’s life style, Wabba said: “We similarly hold the view that given his urbane and simple and straight forward life style, Shagari would have built an enduring culture of democratic succession in spite of some of the disputed elections in his time.”

“However, Shagari was blamed for not exercising requisite control over some of the rambunctious and corrupt members of his cabinet or party, a fact not a few, today, believe was largely responsible for his removal from power.

“Amazingly, his removal did little to diminish his towering stature as no act of corruption or wrong doing was traced to him. Thus, in retirement, he was both a respected voice of moderation and wisdom from which succeeding leaders befitted till death took him away.

“For us at the NLC, Shagari, despite having come to power on an ideological platform that was manifestly different from the one we subscribed to, holds a special place in our hearts. For instance, he signed into law the National Minimum Wage Act of 1981 that provided for a new national minimum wage of N125 which was equivalent to about $200.

“It took more than deft move and political will to execute this. It took the milk of human kindness in Alhaji Shagari and his deep appreciation of the dignity of labour and value of the human life to do this.

“To truly appreciate the value of what Shagari did for workers way back then without a bloody fight, let us pause and reflect on the value of the present national minimum wage of N18,000 which is $49 and the new national minimum wage of N30,000 (equivalent to $82) which is due since 2016.

“One of his other legacies was a national housing scheme, a component of which was the building of low-cost houses for workers across the then 19 states of the federation. In light of his contributions to national development, peace in the land, and welfare of workers, Shagari remains a national hero, patriot, and a distinguished gentleman.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/31/1983-coup-buhari-stopped-shehu-shagari-industrializing-nigeria-nlc-president-wabba/

and here comes the useless paid hack revisionists.

Buhari is a curse to the development of Nigeria ...

From the truncation of Nigeria's democracy to the cancelled Lagos Metroline Project to lopsided strategic appointments which are so manifestly skewed in favour of the North and against the South. Not to talk of his plans to islamize Nigeria. Or is it the condoning of corrupt persons where he looks the other way why deep malfeasance are being committed against the Nigeria nation under his watch?

NinjaMetahuman:
and here comes the useless paid hack revisionists.

Sometimes when people praise buhari I weep...

For sure, Lagos will not be celebrating a rail line this period. That coup was a great set back for the development of the country.

Come to think of it, how do you justify sacking Shagari on the premise of massive corruption and then going ahead to serve under the most corrupt military regime of Sanni Abacha ( evident from the unending repatriation of his loot from Switzerland). Isn't that hypocritical?

Blackfire:
Sometimes when people praise buhari I weep...

only crooks that their souls have been bought and paid for the once praising the wack job in aso rock