By Victor Young

United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, has described the death of human right activist and a former President of the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, Uche Wisdom Durueke, as a great shock that left a big hole in the hearts of labour movement and advocates of human rights.

ULC, in a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, said Uche was a great pillar of support to the labour movement and contributed immensely to the debate, advocacy and deepening of the nation’s industrial relations laws both in theory and in practice.

According to Ajaero, “at a time when we are all engaged in fashioning new legal frameworks to govern the nation’s industrial relations clime, it is most disheartening to hear of his passing especially in this tragic manner, leaving us completely befuddled and gasping for breath.”

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Recall that Durueke died on Friday from injuries sustained after his power generating set exploded while he was refilling its tanks.

The statement said: “Uche was looking forward to the various conversations leading to the passage of the various acts that would run the employment relations clime in the country.

“He had hoped to use the opportunity to create a fair and just workplace for Nigerian workers that would serve as the fulcrum for driving national progress.

“Durueke was unarguably one of the most outstanding human rights lawyer and activist in the country. He was a senior member of the nation’s Bar given his over three decades in practice and input into both judicial and legal processes in the country.

“He would have assuredly been decorated a Senior Advocate, SAN, many years ago if not for his inclination to the ideology of the left, his defense of the common man and oppressed Nigerian workers.

“He will be sorely missed. We urge the body responsible for legal privileges to make him a SAN posthumously since he was being considered for the award before his untimely death.”

Vanguard