by Yusuf Lawal
Nigeria Labour Congress reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle of the people of the Western Saharawi Arad Republic for independence from Morocco. This was when a delegation of the General Union of the Workers of Western Sahara paid a courtesy visit to Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President in April. The delegation led by Comrade Mohammed Lehbib, General Secretary of GUWWS was in solidarity with the new leadership of the NLC and to further the ties of struggle between both federations.
Comrade Wabba noted that “we have to do more for the independence of the Saharawi people because we cannot claim to be independent if a part of our continent remains colonized”. He further pledged “NLC’s firm and continuous support to the struggle of the Saharawi peoples and workers”, pointing out that this “is the clearest testament of its commitment to the emancipation of Africa that is free from all forms of injustice and colonialism”.
The Western Sahara is the last remaining formal colony in Africa. Originally colonised by Spain, Morocco annexed it as a region in 1975 when the Spanish departed. Morocco had contended with Spain since 1957 for the region whose natural resources it now controls. Polisario Front, which is the national liberation movement of the Saharawi declared the region as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and has contended with Morocco’s colonial domination for the past four decades.
