The Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is concluding high-level consultations with political parties, humanitarian organisations, and civil society groups to introduce WENFOY, a global charity initiative aimed at addressing the dire humanitarian situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Nigeria.
WENFOY, an acronym for “We’ve Not Forgotten You,” is designed as a massive fundraising intervention that will feature world-acclaimed musicians, entertainers, sports stars, global influencers and public figures. The goal is to replicate the spirit of the famous 1985 “We Are the World” campaign, which mobilised global solidarity for famine victims in Ethiopia.
Prince Tony Akeni, Interim National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party and Executive Director of WENFOY, explained that the initiative will spotlight the suffering of millions of Nigerians displaced by insurgency, banditry and violent land-grabbing attacks across the North, the Middle Belt and other parts of the country. He said the NLC remains concerned about the safety and well-being of Nigerian workers trapped in frontline states and is determined to create channels of support that will restore dignity and economic hope.
Humanitarian Support and IDP Resettlement
Funds raised through WENFOY will be transparently managed by reputable trustees and directed toward primary and secondary education for displaced children, medical care, livelihood skills, and the construction of low-cost “container homes” for affected families.
A major component of the project, the Inter-Party Committee for Census, Homeland Return, Resettlement & Sustainable Security (IPAC-CHRRESS), will work with the Federal Government to achieve an accurate census of IDPs nationwide. The committee will also develop a phased, security-backed blueprint for returning displaced communities to their homelands.
Akeni revealed that the project intends to collaborate with the UNHCR, Red Cross, Red Crescent, interfaith organisations and other credible partners to strengthen transparency and rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s management of its security crisis. He noted that restoring stability and accelerating resettlement efforts could also prevent scenarios that may attract foreign military intervention.
Nigeria Hosts Nearly Half of West Africa’s Displaced Persons
A June 2025 UNHCR report estimated Nigeria’s IDP population at 8.18 million, a figure that surpasses the combined numbers of Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Cameroon. The report emphasised that the official figure excludes nomads and unregistered city migrants, considered significant but undocumented humanitarian groups.
The WENFOY project will also address the plight of over 400,000 Bakassi returnees displaced after the peninsula was ceded to Cameroon in 2008, as well as the more than 336,000 Nigerian refugees living in neighbouring countries as of March 2023.
Labour Party Says Leadership Is Intact
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has strongly refuted claims that the Sen. Nenadi Usman–led interim national council is engulfed in crisis. The party described the allegations circulating in some quarters as “misleading and mischievous.”
Akeni stressed that the Labour Party, founded by an institution rather than individuals, does not operate on the whims of personal interests. He said the party’s constitution and ethos prevent any form of unilateralism or arbitrary decision-making.
He also dismissed fears that lists of state congress committees were being infiltrated by loyalists of the dissolved Julius Abure-led leadership or by operatives of rival political parties. Such claims, he said, are attempts to destabilise the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Labour Party assured its nationwide supporters that it remains united, transparent and committed to rebuilding its structures after what it described as the most challenging period in its 23-year history, now concluded by the Supreme Court judgment of April 4.
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