Asides from marking today, MAY 3, as LABOUR DAY HOLIDAY in Nigeria (because the official day, MAY 1, falls on a Saturday); today is also WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY.
The day is observed to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and government of their duty to respect and uphold the rights to freedom of expression under article 19, of the 1948 universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Today should be a day we celebrate but when we think about it, like really think about it, we know that Workers in Nigeria both in the public and private sectors have nothing to celebrate on this holiday. Just the fact that we are alive. Insecurity (herders, bandits, rapists, pedofiles, kidnappers… ),food hike, hunger, joblessness, (you name it) is the order of the day.
And as for the press, we have a limit to how we can express our views, to how we can question the authorities, our employers, not just the government — for fear of losing our jobs, our lives, and so on.
Is there really a cause for celebration or marking the day¿?
