A passionate appeal had emerged for President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the recall of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador Abiodun Richards Adejola, from his pivotal role as the rotational Chair of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The call was made by Owei Lakemfa, a former Secretary General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity and a veteran columnist, who underlined the critical role played by the ILO Chair in international diplomacy.
President Tinubu, on September 2, 2023, issued a directive that mandated the return of Nigerian ambassadors stationed worldwide as part of his revamped foreign policy agenda. Notably, he had exempted the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations (UN) in New York and Geneva from this recall, underscoring the significance of these missions.
Lakemfa emphasized the pivotal nature of Ambassador Adejola’s role as Chair of the ILO Governing Body, drawing attention to the unique attributes of the ILO compared to the UN. The ILO, established in 1919, predates the UN and boasts resilience and flexibility. According to Lakemfa, “Perhaps next to the UN in terms of power, reach, and acceptance, is the ILO.”
Lakemfa elaborated on the strengths of the ILO, which had been in existence for 26 years longer than the UN and had exhibited remarkable adaptability and resilience. Unlike the UN, the ILO operates as a tripartite assembly involving governments, employers, and workers from all member countries, rendering it a more inclusive and democratic institution. The ILO also takes the lead in setting international standards and convening Conventions that member nations are expected to adopt.
According to Lakemfa, “Perhaps next to the UN in terms of power, reach, and acceptance, is the ILO. However, the latter has some unique advantages over the UN. First, having been established in 1919 as a global body, it is 26 years older. Secondly, it has exhibited greater flexibility and resilience; although the membership of the UN and ILO are similar, while the League of Nations which was established along with the ILO collapsed under the weight of contradictory world politics, the ILO survived.
“Thirdly, the ILO is a much more democratic universal institution; while the UN is only an assemblage of states, the ILO is a tripartite assembly of governments, employers, and workers from all countries. Fourthly, the ILO is an institution where people, be they employers or workers, can drag their home governments to any such complaints would be discussed by the whole world and the affected governments have no choice but to answer queries and put up their defence.
“Fifth, the ILO, unlike the UN, routinely sets standards, calls Conventions, which all member countries are expected to sign up to and domesticate. So, whoever occupies the Chair of the ILO would be one of the most powerful men on earth. It is this position Nigeria’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador Abiodun Richards Adejola, was elected into for a one-year tenure which expires in June 2024.
The seasoned columnist had asserted that the Chair of the ILO occupied a position of great prestige and international trust, playing a central role in advancing social justice, human and labor rights, and universal social equity and peace.
“I was a member of the ILO Governing Board for three years. So I know the enormous prestige its chairman confers on his country. I know the trust and confidence the rest of the world gathered under the ILO places on its chairman to deliver on its core mandate of promoting social justice, human and labour rights, and ensuring universal social justice and lasting peace.”
Lakemfa had urged caution in the premature removal of Ambassador Adejola, who had only recently commenced a one-year term as the Chairman of the ILO Governing Body.
In his words, “I, therefore, shudder that Nigeria would shoot itself in the foot by yanking off the Chairman of the ILO Governing Body who is just three months into leading that huge world assembly. I join other Nigerians and well-wishers knowledgeable on these matters in appealing to President Bola Tinubu to in the overall interest of our country, allow Ambassador Adejola complete his term as ILO Governing Body Chairman by leaving him in the Geneva mission for the next nine months.”
Drawing from his own experience as a member of the ILO Governing Board, Lakemfa had reminded readers of Nigeria’s historic contributions to the organization. In 1961, shortly after gaining independence, Nigeria had led a successful motion to expel apartheid-era South Africa from the ILO—a monumental achievement that underscored Nigeria’s capacity to influence global affairs through the ILO.
In conclusion, the columnist had fervently appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the recall of Ambassador Adejola from Geneva, underscoring Nigeria’s broader interests. He had implored the President to allow Ambassador Adejola to fulfill his term as the Chairman of the ILO Governing Body, stressing the critical importance of preserving Nigeria’s leadership role in this vital international institution.
