The first May Day celebration, internationally recognised as Workers’ Day, was inaugurated in 1886 in Chicago, United States of America. In Nigeria, however, the history of this commemoration holds a particularly distinguished origin. The first Workers’ Day celebration in the country was held at the Abdulhamid Hassan Auditorium of Kano State College of Advanced Studies (CAS), which was then the largest public gathering venue in Kano State.
The historic occasion was organised under the auspices of Governor Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, the first civilian Governor of Kano State. At the time of this inaugural celebration, I had just completed my Master of Science degree in Geography from the University of Ife and was serving as a lecturer, making me a direct witness to the very moment Workers’ Day was born in Nigeria.
The following year, in 1981, the Federal Government of Nigeria formally adopted Governor Rimi’s initiative, declaring May 1 as Workers’ Day and a national public holiday, in line with prevailing international conventions. This national declaration was a direct consequence of Kano’s pioneering leadership and Governor Rimi’s bold vision for workers’ welfare.
As fate would have it, exactly nineteen years after that first celebration, on May 1, 1999, I had the distinguished honour of serving as the Special Guest of Honour at the Kano State Workers’ Day celebration, representing the late Colonel Aminu Isah Kontagora, who was then the Military Administrator of Kano State.
The occasion was held at the Race Course, Kano. I was ably supported by the then Head of Service of Kano State, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, as well as representatives of all workers’ unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Teachers’ Union, the Health Workers’ Union, and various unions from the private sector.
The address I delivered on behalf of the Military Administrator centred on the imperatives of integrity, responsibility, diligence, and innovation among the Nigerian workforce. The speech was delivered just twenty-eight days before the historic transition from military to civilian administration, making it, in effect, my final public address to the workers of Kano State.
I inspected the Guard of Honour and bade farewell to the workers’ community in what was a deeply memorable and solemn occasion.
At that period, the relationship between the workforce and the Kano State Government was remarkably cordial and constructive. Twenty-eight days later, in my capacity as Chairman of the Handover Committee, I witnessed Colonel Aminu Isah Kontagora formally transfer the mantle of leadership of Kano State to Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, marking the restoration of democratic governance in the state.
This brief account would be incomplete without paying sincere and heartfelt tribute to those who shaped the history of Workers’ Day in Kano and Nigeria: the late Governor Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, whose vision laid the foundation for this national celebration; the late Colonel Aminu Isah Kontagora, a dedicated administrator; the late Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, a distinguished Head of Service; and the countless Nigerian workers whose resilience, sacrifice, and commitment to duty remain the bedrock of this nation’s progress.
To all workers observing May 1, 2026, whether in active service or enjoying the public holiday, this commemoration belongs to you.
Long live Nigerian workers.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Saidu Zakari Garun Babba writes from Borno Avenue, Nassarawa GRA, Kano.
