MAY DAY - International Workers Day is a day But not Justan ordinary day of remembrance and celebration for international labor and left-wing movements. Though, People in more than 80 countries mark this day with marches and demonstrations.
It is a day set aside to celebrate workers of different genres on their level of productivity and progress.
International working classes have existed since the development of agriculture and advent of settlement, about ten thousand years ago. Slaves, trades people and others were forced to turn over the fruits of their labour to an exploiting class. People with more land mass, more commodities and war advantages form this exploiting class.
These conditions gave rise to demands for limitations on the working day.
May Day was celebrated for the first time in Russia, Brazil and Ireland in 1891.
Chinese workers celebrated their first May Day in 1920, following the Russian socialist revolution.
In 1927, workers in India observed May Day with demonstrations in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. By that time, May Day was truly a world workers' day.
Obviously, this holiday celebration for workers started first in Australia. There was an organized and complete stoppage of work in 1856, this was done as part of their demonstration in support of the holiday. However, the day would have been set for April 21.
The outcome of this movement made by the workers was a welcomed development and thus, it was decided to repeat the celebration every year.
In the US, it was agreed that in accordance with the Australian workers May 1 should be the day set aside for every worker based on the witnessed benefits. Later, police and legal harassment prevented the workers for many years from repeating this demonstration. However, in 1888, they renewed their decision and resolved that the next celebration would be May 1, 1890.
By record, it is noted that the Workers Day celebration was recognized and adopted in Nigeria under the Shehu Shagari's administration which is on 1st of May, 1981. This was adopted in recognition of the numerous contributions that the Nigerian worker has made towards the progress of our beloved country, the Giant of Africa.
May Day is not only celebrated everywhere as a 'workers day'. The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian Europe, as in the Celtic celebration of Beltane, and the Walpurgis Night of the Germanic countries. Many pre- Christian indigenous celebrations were eventually banned or Christianised during the process of Christianisation in Europe.
But, in the spirit of Today, I am wishing everyone out there, both the recognized and unrecognized, the established and unestablished, the rich and poor a Happy International Workers Day Celebration. But no matter how insignificant you may think the work you do is, it is in contribution to a much larger course, be it Agriculture, carpentry, academic work, computer services and much more. You are of paramount importance and today you all are being recognized.