How Hassan Sunmonu shifted Nigeria’s labour movement – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated veteran labour leader Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu on his 85th birthday, celebrated on January 7, 2026, praising his decades-long commitment to workers’ welfare and nation-building.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President described Sunmonu as a towering figure in Nigeria’s labour movement whose leadership and advocacy significantly shaped industrial relations in the country.

Tinubu noted that Sunmonu devoted much of his life to the struggle for improved working conditions, fair wages, and social protection for Nigerian workers, adding that his contributions remain foundational to labour reforms in Nigeria.

Sunmonu served as President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) from 1978 to 1984. He also held the position of General Secretary of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), where he played a key role in advancing workers’ rights across the African continent.

Reflecting on his legacy, Tinubu recalled that Sunmonu rose to prominence at a critical period in Nigeria’s labour history, following the disbandment of several national labour unions prior to the formation of the NLC in 1978.

“One cannot help but notice Alhaji Sunmonu’s outstanding pioneering leadership within the labour force and his deep commitment to the well-being of workers,” the President said.

He added that under Sunmonu’s leadership, the NLC presented a Charter of Demands that helped lay the groundwork for major labour reforms, including the institutionalisation of a national minimum wage and a minimum pension scheme.

The President thanked Sunmonu for his enduring passion for workers’ welfare and prayed for his continued good health, strength, and long life.