LABOUR GROUPS AND NIGERIA’S UNITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE COLONIAL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT (PWD) WORKERS, 1925 – 1960

Abstract

Admittedly, the thought that amalgamation alone would crystalize into unification has in Nigeria’s case proven to be a mirage. Nigeria currently stands on a dangerous precipice .Centrifugal and other forces have combined to weaken the fabrics of its unity. Incessant secessionist calls are gaining momentum from various quarters and are tightening the noose on the entity called Nigeria. Worse still, lack of inclusion in the running of the affairs of the government has also brightened the prospect of total collapse. How can this impending tragedy be prevented? There is no better time for scholars to start searching for better nation-building strategies that will consolidate, bolster and save Nigeria’s unity. In doing this, history cannot be ignored as it shows the link between the past and the present and holds a pool of viable solutions to man’s present existential needs. The history of the area now called Nigeria is replete with unity-promoting efforts by various individuals, entities and groups. Studying and reappraising these efforts are important as they will show how more hands are to be engaged in the business of nation-building. This paper therefore examines the contributions of the Public Works Department (PWD) workers to the unification of Nigeria during the colonial era. The aim is to show the relevance of labour groups in the process of national unification. The paper contends that national unity has a huge maintenance cost that cannot be offset by only the political class, and thus would require a more holistic and inclusive approach that places the hands of every group in the country on the deck. Primary and secondary sources of materials are used in this paper, including archival materials, government gazettes, texts books etc.