Oyekan Arije Dies at 87: Former NLC Chairman Leaves Lasting Labour Legacy

Oyekan Arije dies at 87, as the former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) passes away after decades of service to Nigeria’s labour movement.

Activist lawyer Femi Aborisade announced his death in a statement issued on behalf of the family on Wednesday.

Arije died in the early hours of Tuesday, 18 August 2026. He was 87.

His death marks the end of a long career in Nigeria’s labour movement. Arije became active in the struggle for workers’ rights in the 1960s.

He later rose to become chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress. He held the position from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.

According to Aborisade, Arije remained committed to the interests of workers and disadvantaged Nigerians throughout his life.

The lawyer described the late labour leader as a prominent socialist who devoted himself to the struggle for justice and freedom.

Aborisade said Arije strongly identified with the working class and challenged what he described as economic and political structures that oppressed ordinary Nigerians.

“Comrade Oyekan Arije was a foremost Labour Leader and Socialist,” Aborisade said in the statement.

He added that Arije’s life reflected a deep commitment to the struggles of workers and the downtrodden.

Meanwhile, news of Oyekan Arije’s death is expected to prompt tributes from labour leaders, activists and members of the wider workers’ movement.

Arije belonged to a generation of labour activists who played an important role in shaping workers’ struggles in Nigeria. His involvement in the movement spanned several decades.

For many workers and activists, his legacy will remain linked to the fight for better working conditions, social justice and greater economic freedom.

Oyekan Arije dies at 87, leaving behind a record of decades of involvement in Nigeria’s labour movement.