Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Kwara state has conferred fellowship awards on 25 distinguished individuals and inaugurated the MINILS Fellows Alumni Association.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Academics and Distance Learning Programmes of the Institute, Dr. Sylvanus Simon Adamade, said that the ceremony aimed to foster collaboration and promote decent work practices across Nigeria.
Adamade, who highlighted the institute’s dedication to professionalizing industrial relations in Nigeria, said that, “The conferment of Fellows of the National Labour Institute underscores our resolve to enhance proficiency in industrial and labour relations practices across the country”.
He also traced MINILS’ history, recalling introduction of the Advanced Certificate in Industrial and Labour Relations in 2016, which he said equipped professionals with skills in labour laws, statutory dispute resolution, and negotiation techniques.
He also emphasized the success of the Professional Certificate in Industrial and Labour Relations, introduced in 2019, which he said received approval from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
“This year, in celebration of MINILS’ 40th anniversary, a total of 112 professionals, including governors, judges, academics and administrators, were inducted as Fellows of the National Labour Institute”, he said.
Also speaking, the Director-General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, in his welcome address, underscored the institute’s historical role in advancing workers’ education.
He highlighted its establishment under the third National Development Plan in 1983 and its renaming in 1992 to honour labour icon, Pa Michael Imoudu.
“MINILS rests on the principle that labour is neither a commodity nor an article of trade”, Aremu said, adding that, “We are committed to fostering collective bargaining, social dialogue, and universal social protection while protecting vulnerable groups from exploitation and servitude”.
Comrade Aremu charged the newly inducted Fellows to champion excellence in workers’ education and contribute to Nigeria’s socio-economic growth.
“This investiture is not just a recognition; it is a call to action to advance the cause of decent work for all,” he said.
The event featured a lecture by Professor I.B. Kadri, which addressed challenges and opportunities in professional industrial relations amid rapid workplace changes driven by digitalization and artificial intelligence.
The ceremony, attended by legal experts, industrial relations practitioners, and public officials, concluded MINILS’ 2024 investiture series, further cementing the institute’s role in shaping the future of labour relations in Nigeria.
