By joshua EDOKA: Keep WORKING FOR TOMORROW, YOU’RE NOT A MAN OF TODAY
By Abu Micheal
Comr. Onuh Edoka cuts the figure of a simple man with an uncommon mien. Long before his appointment into government, he was the kind of labour leader who never chased power. Responsibility found him. From his entry into the labour space, he waited, served, and allowed duty to fall on his lap.
Comr. Onuh Edoka is a seasoned trade unionist and labour administrator from Kogi State. He rose through the ranks of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, where he served diligently as Auditor before his colleagues elected him two-term Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Kogi State Council. Known for his quiet courage and negotiation skills, Edoka built a reputation as a worker’s advocate who preferred dialogue to confrontation, yet never shied away from defending workers’ rights. His years in the labour movement gave him deep knowledge of public service administration, industrial relations, and grassroots mobilization — assets that would later define his role in government.
His trajectory in the history of Kogi State labour movement will linger for long before it is broken. Courageous yet soft-spoken, Edoka spoke in a gentle voice, but few of his desires in the labour circle ever failed to produce results. Between 2012 and 2021, he was a thorn in the flesh of the Capt. Idris Wada and former Gov. Yahaya Bello administrations — “a rock of Gibraltar” resisting anti-worker policies and defending the welfare of the workforce. That period cemented his reputation as a principled, no-nonsense labour leader.
Without knowing what lay ahead, Edoka’s path crossed with then-Local Government Auditor General, Usman Ahmed Ododo, during negotiations for workers’ welfare. Even in the heat of struggle, something about Ododo’s sincerity and commitment made Edoka back down from confrontation. That mutual respect would later define their working relationship. Though not serving as NLC Chairman ahead of the 2023 governorship election, Edoka formed an independent advocacy platform soliciting support for labour. He moved from one labour center to another, galvanizing workers and arguing that among the gladiators, Ododo was the better option for workers’ welfare. His advocacy met stiff resistance from some labour leaders who could not fathom his motive. Records today, however, suggest he read the moment right.
Under Governor Ododo, Kogi workers now enjoy prompt payment of salaries and benefits that eluded them for over a decade. The civil service at both state and local government levels has a story to tell: dignity and respect restored to the workforce.
Appointing Edoka as Special Adviser on Labour Matters proved to be a masterstroke for Governor Ododo. In that role, he stabilized labour relations by bridging communication between government and unions, averting strikes and fostering industrial harmony. He championed the culture of prompt salary and pension payments, restoring workers’ confidence after years of arrears all because he understands and possibly speaks the language understood by his Principal. He also pushed for welfare packages that addressed long-standing grievances of civil servants, and leveraged his extensive labour network to mobilize grassroots support for the administration’s reforms. His performance earned him recognition as one of the most outstanding Special Advisers in the state, a reputation that later fueled calls for him to contest for the House of Representatives to represent Ankpa Federal Constituency, though it did not materialize.
Many who led the call for his representation now believe, with a sense of nostalgia, that Comr. Edoka is a man for tomorrow. The future looks cloudy but loaded with possibilities for him. Today may have gone, but tomorrow appears bigger. For a professional labour leader trained to retreat, recharge and change strategy, Edoka’s story is still unfolding. If he sustains his record and builds on his achievements, a bigger tomorrow awaits the man who turned labour leadership into service. He may not be a man for now, but the future has much in stock for him.
Abu Micheal, Journalist, Publisher, ANIPR, MNIM, Editorial Board Member, Guild of Interfaith Media Practitioners Nigeria, MCIA,