Tribute, Kokori: The morning of Thursday, 7th day of December 2023 was not just a day but one that broke with a devastating news to the labour movement in particular and the entire progressive circle in Nigeria and beyond.
The man who had saved Nigeria from prolonged military dictatorship; from inexplicable power; the man who defiantly sustained a paralysing national strike for three months from July to September 1993 such that mass actions, including the popular sit – at – home pronouncements by coalition of several civil society organizations in Nigeria attained the optimum success during the pro-democracy struggles passed on early that morning, significantly less than two hours to his 80th birthday anniversary.
Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori, a traditional chief from his community in Delta State and a highly cerebral, effective, trusted and committed trade unionist who was also General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers had passed on. He has been very sick, battling with issues related with his kidney.
Weeks earlier, he had whimpered out to the public for help as his health conditions deteriorated. Only the government of his home state, Delta came up with assistance. The Governor of the state, Sheriff Oborevwori visited him on his sick bed in Warri which was most likely a booster and added assurance of recovery. The worst to happen to any sick person placed on medical admission, especially in emergency wards, is the feeling of desertion.
Most beneficiaries of the struggles where Comrade Kokori played key roles didn’t seem to have allowed their conscience nudge them toward offering any kind of assistance as individuals or government, particularly the Federal Government of Nigeria presided over by one of Kokori’s closest allies, at least during the pro-democracy struggles and members of the same political party.
For as the struggles to compel the military government to lift the ban on the announcement of Nigeria’s most credible election in history, held on the 12th day of June 1993 and declare the winner, which was already known to be Bashorun Moshood Abiola, it became clearer by the day that the declaration won’t happen through meetings or negotiations politicians were holding. Not even through fiery press conferences. Diplomatic interventions by foreign governments were ignored by the military junta as well.
Students, human rights activists, trade unions, lawyers, other professionals and their allies in the growing informal sector opted for street actions, coordinated by effective coalitions, led by the Campaign for Democracy, CD. This became so effective that majority of Nigerians only responded to calls by the CD about whether or not they had to sit back at home or mass up at some locations for mass protests.
The military rolled out armoured tanks with heavily armed personnel reminiscent of a war situation to unleash devastating attacks on protesters.
The trade unions were not interested in calling a national strike, in fact, they were tolerant to the military government such that even the Nigeria Labour Congress at that time could not raise any strong voice or hold any cohesive meeting to agree on any decisive national action against the annulment but Kokori and his colleagues at the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, swiftly called meetings of their appropriate organs and promptly declared a national strike along with their counterparts, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN whose General Secretary, Milton Dabibi was as resolute as Kokori. Members of these two unions were not just cohesive but determined to carry out directives of their leaderships without compromise. So gritty that not even the arrest and prolonged illegal detention of their leaders could immediately end the strike.
That strike broke the ice. It deepened mass actions; attracted global supports with powerful voices from countries and international organisations, including the United Nations. International voices that cannot be ignored exploded across the globe in support of that struggle.
No one can underestimate the colossal status of Frank Kokori at the time when many who could not bear the brunt of the excruciating heat from the military and their goons sneaked out to other countries, especially outside Africa to continue their best in their own ways. There are multi-faceted methods in every struggle, anyway.
However, with the return of civil rule, return of those who went on exile and the release of Kokori and other detainees, the cohesiveness of the structures became feeble or totally collapsed and everyone went their ways, significantly exposing lack of strategy such that even if the military had voluntarily abandoned power there were possibilities of fatal internal squabbles.
Not until recently, during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that appointed Kokori to chair the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, a federal agency that oversees workers compensation, he was never considered for any federal appointment. Even this appointment was bungled by the Minister of Labour at the time, Dr. Chris Ngige who insisted Kokori would not chair that board and of course, it was obvious that the Federal Government, despite protests by workers led by the Nigeria Labour Congress allowed itself to be overwhelmed by the overbearing (power) of Dr. Ngige to overrule the appointment. He was later moved to Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies to chair the Governing board. He remained the Chairman until his death.
The weight of funds saved to protect workers interests at the NSITF is clearly the attraction of the labour minister and nothing more. Everyone knew Kokori will close the vaults against the filthy hands of shameless public funds thieves that sadly dot our public institutions in Nigeria.
It’s not on any record that Ngige participated in any pro-democracy protests in anywhere and in any form, so for him Kokori or his likes had no stake in administering any government institution under his watch. Not even an institution in charge of workers funds, which has been turned to the ATM of some public officials. At least, one former chairperson of the NSITF was dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while a former Permanent Secretary of the Labour Ministry was convicted on account of financial crimes at the NSITF.
From his younger days as an adult in the early 70s when he started his trade union activities organizing workers, fighting for and defending workers rights, Comrade Frank Ovie Kokori dedicated his entire life to the struggle against injustice and died a victim of injustice.
Even in death, Kokori deserves a befitting national recognition and honour and its not late for Chris Ngige and the Federal Government to apologise for the humiliating treatment he was put through in the shameful NSITF chairmanship appointment.
However, one honour nobody can refuse him is the fact that history will remember him as one who fought for justice throughout his adult life and for that we pray his soul rests well in eternal peace.
