Against All Odds

Chapter Eighty: The Gift

The whole family was seated in front of the television, staring at the newscasters, rallies of men and women protesting outside establishments. A young journalist could be seen describing the reasons for the current situation at those places.

"The indefinite warning strike action declared by the Nigeria Labour congress recorded total compliance in Umuahia , the capital of Abia State , on Thursday .
Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise , reported that at about 9 am students of Government Primary and Post - Primary Schools in the State where seen leaving their school premises .

A teacher who granted audience to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity said the authority asked the staff and students to go in line with the directives from the NLC .
When our correspondent visited the federal and state secretariats at Ogurube layout in Umuahia , the complexes were under lock and key .
Some civil servants who had reported for work in the morning were seen leaving the two complexes .
At the state high court complex on Ikot -Ekpene Road , Umuahia , lawyers and their clients were seen standing in front of the court with its gate locked.
A legal practitioner identified as Mr Uzoma Nwaigwe , said the exercise stopped the hearing of a case involving one of his clients .

“ I came to represent my client who has been in detention for over three weeks , he was supposed to be charged to court today so that he can regain his freedom , but unfortunately the court is on strike and the police have no option but to take him back to the cell .
“ I heard that NLC is on strike and the association of judiciary workers complied with the strike ,” the man said.

Obi understood exactly what the man felt because they were also in a similar situation.

"Obi I thought you said it's eight months, they are saying it's indefinite" Chioma hinted

"That was what barrister Daniel told me, it seems to be worse than what he said"

"I doubt that it'll last that long Obi, let's just relax, everything will turn out well" Obiefune assured the two ladies who were more interested in what was happening on the screen

Chief Ben Torty, who came to the court for the hearing of a matter involving his community , expressed disappointment that the matter could not come up because of the strike action .
He however said the NLC was fighting a just cause because government workers had been suffering for a long time under the current wage being paid to them .
He said, “ The strike affected our matter because the government is involved and the court is involved too , we will wait until the court resumes and we will take another date for the hearing .
“ The government should increase the minimum wage because the Nigerian masses have been suffering for a long time , particularly in Abia State .” The man was clearly frustrated with the look on his face and spoke passionately from what Obi deduced

The young newscaster continued
"Meanwhile in the federal capital territory Abuja, the protests made by the Nigerian labour congress has led to lock down of  the Supreme Court here at the FCT. Our Correspondent Ikechukwu Nnochiri has more of the details

The children did not understand why they were subjected to watching men talk and opted to change the Television channel, earning both of them a scolding from their mother.

ABUJA – Courts and other justice related institutions within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, were on Thursday, shut down by officials of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, in compliance with the indefinite strike that was declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
Locked out of their offices by the striking workers, included the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, President of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judges of both the Federal High Court and the FCT High Court, as well as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges, lawyers and litigants were equally denied entry into any court within the FCT.