The National Commission for Museum and Monuments (NCMM), on Monday marked the 75th anniversary for the massacre of 21 coal miners at Iva Valley, Enugu by the colonial masters.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 21 coal miners were shot dead in Enugu on Nov. 18, 1949 by the colonial masters for agitating for better working conditions and improved welfare packages.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the event was organised by NCMM in partnership with the Centre for Memories, Enugu, Awka Museum Foundation, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-Nigeria), Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Afri Archives and others.
Speaking at the event, the Curator, National Museum of Unity, Enugu, Mr Aloysius Duru, emphasised the importance of celebrating the 21 coal miners that laid down their lives for others, lamenting that the nation seems to have forgotten about the event.
“This is why we want to make a memorial of it. Today, we want to remember them being the Nov.18. We called on people to remind them about these miners and to celebrate them,” Duru said.
The curator recalled that it was that incident that led to formation of labour unions, explaining that after it, people developed the urge to have a union to speak for them as a body.
According to him, the incident also led to the issue of Nigeria’s independence as the resilience of those miners spurred the nationalists to agitate for the country’s independence.
“We want their families not to keep quiet but to speak out and request for compensation as the act is condemnable,” Duru said.
He, however, urged residents of Enugu to take their history seriously and visit the museum and other historic places, describing as unfounded rumours that Enugu Museum had been sold.
“We are still active and recently upgraded our galleries,” he assured. “Come and embrace your culture and don’t let what made Enugu die.”
The representative of ICOMOS-Nigeria, Dr Ijeoma Onyejekwe, noted that most of the late miners came from different parts of Nigeria because coal was a federal project, explaining that many of them came from Enugu, Kogi, Niger Delta and Northern Nigeria.
Onyejekwe added that there was a need to remember them as well as the British government giving their families compensations.
Also speaking, the Director, Centre for Memories, Enugu, Mr Iheanyi Igboko, while describing the anniversary celebration as a milestone, urged the governments to protect the rights of workers and prioritise their welfare for increased productivity.
“What we are celebrating today is resilience to fight against injustice. What led to the death of those coal miners still persists, that is, poor workers’ welfare.
“Today, the rights and welfare of workers are abysmally poor. As we commemorate this event, we raise our voice to make the same demand. We remind the leaders to think about the people and protect their rights by ensuring true and equitable society.
“We are celebrating resistance, fight and quest for justice that led them to spill their blood.”
The Convener of the Coal Miner Legacy Project, Mr Ajuluchukwu Ene, disclosed that the groups usually celebrated the anniversary separately but decided to do it together this year.
“Since 2015 that I began this project, this is the first time the Enugu State Government is getting involved. They placed the statue of these late miners at the popular New Market area of the State,” Ene said.
“We know that coal mining is happening again in Enugu and we believe that the 75th anniversary will drive deeper conservation about coal mining in the state.”
Sam Eze-Chidera, the Curator Enugu Photo Festival, a Community of virtual storytellers, Enugu, added that the organisation opened an exhibition on Nov. 1, at the museum to honour the 21 coal miners.
