VOICE OF COURAGE Selected speeches of Obafemi Awolowo (Vol 2)

AS we have just noted, man indeed does not live by bread alone. But it is equally true that he cannot live at all without bread.

And it can be demonstrated that, in the main, what goes on in his mind, and his receptivity or resistance to suggestions, instructions and propaganda, depend on the quantum of bread at his disposal, a any given time, relative to his basic needs, interests, and aspirations compounded by those of the ethnic, tribal, professional, business, or social group to which he belongs.

In other words, the susceptibility or otherwise of a man’s mind to rebellion, anarchy, crime, and other evil influences; or to loyalty” orderliness, honesty, and other good influences, depends on the quantum of food, shelter, clothing, and other comforts of this world available to him, relative to his basic needs, interests, and aspirations. etc.

It follows then that in order to reach and influence a man’s mind for good, and do so effectively, the first thing to do is to provide him with adequate bread – that is, food, shelter, clothing, and other earthly comforts, sufficient in quantity and quality for human needs The post-war roles which I have outlined can now be briefly summarised as follows:

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1) The attainment and permanent maintenance 0f interpersonal economic justice, equity, and fairplay, plus equality for all before the law (PEACE);

2) The immediate care of those afflicted by the war with sickness, hunger, and destitution (RELIEF);

3) The restoration of the displaced to their homes and, as far as possible,  to their occupations  (REHABILITATION);

4) The removal of those causes which tend to generate economic injustice, constitutional deprivation, and legal violence (RECONCILIATION); and

5) The increase in national wealth with a view to raising the standard of living of the entire masses of our people without exception or discrimination (RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT)

These, in my view, are the roles which must be fulfilled in post-war Nigeria. And it can be seen that whilst each of them has political and ethnical undertone and implications, they are basically economic in nature and character.

Now that we have a clear idea of what, from my point of view, need to be done in post-war Nigeria, the next question is: which part can and/or must the working class play? Before I attempt an answer to this question, I would like us to agree as to what is meant by ‘the working class’.

The term ‘working class’ can be said to be a politico-economic expression, pure and simple. It is not strictly an economic expression, pure and simple. It is not strictly an economic terminology. In a capitalist economy, it denotes, from among the suppliers of labour, a class of people who are treated as inferior, and depressed. It means the proletariat as contrasted with the bourgeoisie. In a socialist economy, it denotes the entire class of people who supply the two factors of labour and organisation. It is in the former- the capitalist – sense that I am using the term. For it is only in this sense that it call have any meaning at all in the Nigerian setting.

In Nigeria then, the working class can be identified as the peasants; the farm, factory, manual, and other labourers; the domestic servants; the junior clerical staff wherever they may be employed; the factory workers and machine minders; the drivers of road and rail vehicles.The petty traders; etc. You can easily know them by their labour and drudgery; by the degrading, cheerless, and unenviable existence they struggle to eke out; and by the colossal gap which exists between them and the more fortunate members of our society. They constitute 98 per cent of our entire labour force.

They are the straws from which all the bricks of our society are made. They produce our food and raw materials; they manufacture all the good things that modern living demands; they provide utility of place and make the mobility of resources possible; they supervise Our borders, fight our wars, and help to maintain public order.

They are the stuff of which revolutions, rebellions, public disorder and unrest, peace, reconciliation, reconstruction, and development are made. They arc by nature law-abiding, inarticulate, obedient and submissive. Relative to their rulers and leaders, they are like wet clay in the hands of a potter. Down the ages, they have been the victims of tyranny, oppression, fraud, and degradation; and the main beneficiaries of just rule and humane economic policies. They are capable of reacting, though slowly, with violence and mercilessness to misrule and misleadership, and of responding! swiftly and with gratitude and grace, to just rule and altruistic leadership.

In view of all these, can anyone really point to, or imagine anything that was, is, or can be accomplished without the working class? I make bold to answer that, without the working class, nothing was, is, or can be accomplished.

It follows from this reasoning, therefore, that the role of the working class in all of Nigeria’s post-war endeavours is supreme and decisive – for better, for worse. In other words, the success or failure of our post-war aspirations and efforts would depend not only on the skill and wisdom of our planners, administrators, and chief executives, but also on the fitness of the working class to play effectively their allotted and indispensable parts.