The General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ugboaja, has died at the age of 60 following a protracted illness.

Ugboaja, who became the fifth General Secretary of the NLC and the first Nigerian lawyer to serve full-time in the trade union movement, was said to have died after a period of ill health. Details surrounding his death were not immediately disclosed.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, announced Ugboaja’s death while reading a letter from his family to members of the Congress’ National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Enugu.

Born on May 15, 1966, Ugboaja obtained a law degree from the University of Calabar in 1987 and joined the trade union movement in 1993.

He served as General Secretary of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) from 2000 to 2005.

Ugboaja also participated in constitutional reform conferences convened under the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.

He was appointed General Secretary of the NLC in August 2019 after emerging through a competitive selection process that was subsequently ratified by the Congress’ NEC in Kano.

Throughout his career, Ugboaja played a prominent role in Nigeria’s organised labour movement, contributing to trade union administration, labour advocacy and policy discussions.

His death is expected to leave a significant void in the leadership of the Nigerian labour movement, with tributes likely to follow from trade unions, political leaders and other stakeholders.