The Director-General, Comrade Issa Aremu, Management and Staff of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) received with deep sorrow the news of the passing of Comrade “Fidelista’ Abiodun Aremu (popularly known as Aremson).
Comrade Abiodun was a key player in Nigeria’s labour / civil society movement. He made remarkable contributions to the struggles for workers’ rights and social justice. His tireless commitment and dedication to the cause of labour left an indelible mark on the civil society community and the nation at large.
His demise has created a significant vacuum in his family, among his friends, and within the broader labour movement in Nigeria. The Director General recalled with nostalgia the positive partnership between the Amilcar Cabral Ideological School (ACIS) he championed and MINILS over the years. Undoubtedly, Abiodun fell ill in recent times, but his enduring spirit of struggle and perseverance was alive until his tragic death, reportedly caused by an unknown “hit and run “ driver last weekend.
The Director General recalled that comrade Abiodun, as a star member of the Cuba-Africa Friendship Association, featured prominently FIDEL CASTRO CENTENARY EVENT IN ABUJA-NIGERIA recently hosted by friends of Cuba on September 18, 2025. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the guest speaker at events attended by Ambassadors and friends of Cuba! Late Abiodun was a loyal friend of the Institute who would be missed dearly!
Comrade Abiodun was among many early well-wishers who showed their support to the DG on his reappointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May this year.
Abiodun, in his congratulatory letter, highlighted Comrade Issa Aremu’s remarkable achievements, emphasising his innovative leadership and dedication to advancing labour studies in Nigeria.
He noted that Aremu’s tenure has been marked by significant strides in aligning the institute’s goals with the needs of the Nigerian working class.
On behalf of the entire MINILS community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. We pray that the Almighty God will repose his soul and grant the family the strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
