The Ekulu coal mine, one of five coal mines operated by the Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC), played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s economy and colonial history. Situated near Enugu, a region often called the “coal city,” this mine was part of a broader mining industry that, by the 1940s, positioned Nigeria as the only producer of coal in Equatorial West Africa. Coal from the Enugu mines fueled energy needs across West Africa, driving economic growth in rail transportation, industrial power, and home heating. The discovery of coal in Enugu in 1909 by British geologist Albert Kitson led to rapid expansion, particularly during World War II, when demand for coal soared.
By 1959, conditions at Ekulu and other mines involved grueling labor, with workers known as “general surface labour” often tasked with physically demanding jobs, like pushing heavy coal tubs to terminals for transportation. These conditions were indicative of a broader trend of exploitative colonial labour practices, with Nigerian workers often subjected to low wages, inadequate safety standards, and little recourse to address grievances. To keep control over labour unrest, British authorities had banned strikes in 1941 and had established trade unions as a way to agitae rising dissatisfaction. However, rather than quieting opinions, the unions became focal points for labour and anti-colonial activism.
The Iva Valley Massacre of November 18, 1949, marked a significant turning point in the struggle for workers’ rights in colonial Nigeria. The massacre was the culmination of mounting tensions as workers protested poor working conditions, low wages, and a lack of job security. Okwudili Isaiah Ojiyi, the General Secretary of the Colliery Workers Union (CWU) in 1944, became a central figure in advocating for the miners rights. His activism was particularly notable given that he was an outsider, not from the local Agbaja (Udi/Ezeagu) or Nkanu communities, a fact that highlighted his commitment to the cause and won him respect among the miners.
Throughout 1949, the miners ramped up their resistance with “go slow” tactics that slowed coal production, frustrating the British managers mine’s. This protest reached a boiling point on November 14, when the colliery hewers staged a sit-in, fearing that they were being replaced by less-skilled workers. On November 18, British authorities responded with a heavy hand. Assistant Police Superintendent F. S. Philips, stationed at the mines, ordered police to open fire on the striking miners, resulting in the death of 21 workers and wounding 51 others. Reports from the incident remain incomplete, with the UK Colonial Office withholding many details from publication.
The massacre sent shockwaves across Nigeria and became a flashpoint for anti-colonial activism. In response to public outrage, the colonial government was pressured into establishing commissions to investigate labour practices and address grievances. The massacre also fueled nationalist sentiment, serving as a catalyst for Nigerian independence, which was achieved just over a decade later, in 1960. The Iva Valley Massacre is still remembered as a symbol of the struggle against exploitation and the fight for workers rights in Nigeria.
References:
Eliot Elisofon (1959). Workers at Ekulu coal mine in Enugu, Nigeria. Smithsonian Institute.
National Museum of African Art. (n.d.). The tragic story of Nigerian coal workers and the Iva Valley Massacre. Smithsonian Institution.
Njoku, R. C. (2001). Colonial and post-colonial developments: Coal mining and labor unrest in Enugu, Nigeria. In C. R. Njoku (Ed.), The history of Nigeria (pp. 124-135). Greenwood Press.
Okonkwo, R. (2005). Nigeria’s nationalist struggles and British colonial responses: The significance of the Iva Valley Massacre. Journal of African History, 46(3), 421-440.
Ukwu, M. U. (2019). The Enugu Coal Miners and the Origins of Modern Labor Protests in Nigeria. African Studies Review, 62(4), 871-889.
