With gratitude to God, profound sense of loss and solidarity, the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) announces the death of Comrade Prince Emmanuel Abiodun Olaleke, the first General Secretary of our Union. He died on Saturday June 8, 2013 in Abuja, after a brief illness. He was 74 years old.

Late Comrade Prince Emmanuel Olaleke was born on December 24, 1939 in Abuoba, Obuasi District in the Gold Coast (now Ghana). He hailed from Irra community in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State. He joined the services of the union as Assistant General Secretary in 1978. He was later appointed the pioneer General Secretary on 1st April 1978 when the union was registered as an Industrial Union.

His trade union experience however dated to the 50s during the era of house/company unionism. He held several positions between 1959 and 1978 in the defunct Nigerian Textile, Garment and General Workers Union (NTGGWU). From 1966, he was a Branch Secretary, District Secretary, State Secretary, Assistant National Secretary, Deputy National Secretary, and National Secretary of (NTGGWU).

He held the position of General Secretary until September 1982 after a voluntary resignation. He later rejoined the service of the union as Principal Assistant General Secretary in charge of Co-operative and Welfare in April 1985 and finally resigned from the service of the union as Principal Assistant General Secretary (Welfare Matters) on 1st January 1997.

His notable achievement included laying a solid foundation for the formation of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers Union of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) as an industrial union. The first Procedural and Collective Agreement with the Nigerian Textile, Garment and Tailoring Employers Association (NTGTEA) in 1979 significantly bears his signature.

Comrade Prince Emmanuel Olaleke is survived by his wife Chief Mrs. Alice M. Olaleke and children. Burial arrangement will be announced later by the family.

Condolences could be sent to the family through the National Secretariat of the Union in Kaduna, and Lagos Sub-Secretariat or through the union’s Email address nutgtwn@yahoo.com

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. (Amen)

Yours comradely
For and on behalf of NUTGTWN

Issa Aremu mni
GENERAL SECRETARY