Comrade Domingo Michael Adeleke, Chairman of the Lagos State Joint Negotiating Council and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s trade union movement, has died in Geneva, Switzerland, after a brief illness.
Adeleke was part of the Nigerian delegation attending the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference when he fell ill. He was taken for medical attention but did not survive. His death was confirmed by the Nigeria Labour Congress on Monday.
The NLC described him as a dedicated trade unionist whose commitment to workers’ welfare defined his career at both the state and national levels. “Comrade Domingo’s dedication to Nigerian workers and the struggle for decent work took him to the global stage right to the end,” the Congress said in a statement. “His loss is felt deeply by all who knew him and worked alongside him.”
Adeleke was also a member of the Nigeria Civil Service Union. Tributes have poured in from labour leaders and colleagues who knew him as a tireless advocate for social justice and decent work conditions.
The NLC confirmed that its leadership visited the hospital in Geneva to pay their respects, and that arrangements are underway for the repatriation of his remains to Nigeria.
He is survived by his family. The full extent of his contributions to the Nigerian labour movement is expected to be formally recognised in the days ahead as tributes continue to arrive from across the country.
