NLC Mourns as General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja Passes Away
By Our Labour Correspondent
ENUGU, NIGERIA — The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has officially announced the passing of its General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja, Esq., mni.
The announcement was contained in a communique issued following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Hotel Presidential in Enugu on Thursday, August 27, 2026. According to the statement signed by NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero, Comrade Ugboaja passed away in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026, following a protracted illness.
Described in the communique as the “General Secretary of General Secretaries,” Ugboaja was praised for his legal mind—honed at the University of Calabar—and his steadfast advocacy for Nigerian workers and the broader international labor movement. His career highlighted significant contributions to national dialogue, including his service as a delegate at both the 2005 National Political Reform Conference and the 2014 National Conference.
The leadership of the NLC confirmed it is working closely with Comrade Ugboaja’s family to arrange funeral rites that accord with his contributions to social justice and the labor movement. The NEC extended its condolences to his family, affiliated unions, and workers across the nation.
