Baba Aye's

There is no death in recent times that has left me as disconcerted as the tragic killing of Aremson by a hit-and-run driver on 12 October. I have tried to write, and each time got disoriented by the weight of emotions, some of which I still grapple with naming. This is not simply because of memories from over three and a half decades of friendship. I recalled our collaboration, the heated debates that continued late into the night before mobile phones, and the lengthy WhatsApp calls of recent times. My mind went to the cell we shared at Ikoyi prison during the June 12 struggle and the bed in a dingy hotel somewhere between Ojuelegba and Yaba as we put mechanisms in motion for the burning of tires to effect an NLC/TUC general strike that was called off at the last moment. I reflected on how my respect for Aremson soared when I visited him at home in August. Seeing the impact of a series of strokes on his health, and how he remained unbowed and unrepentant, I saluted him as one of the mo...

The 9th National Administrative Committee (NAC) of the United Action for Democracy (UAD) mourns the passing of our comrade, mentor, and revolutionary leader, Comrade Abiodun “Aremson” Aremu: a tireless fighter for justice, people’s power, and human liberation. Comrade Aremson’s life was wholly devoted to the struggle for a free, democratic, and socially just Nigeria. His sudden death in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday, 12 October 2025, in Ota, Ogun State, has left a painful void in the ranks of the labour, pro-democracy, and civil society movements, both within and beyond Nigeria. As a former Convener of the UAD, Comrade Aremu embodied the values of courage, clarity, and commitment. From the days of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) through the struggles of the Joint Action Front (JAF) and the Labour–Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), he stood firm on the side of the oppressed, never compromising on principles. Through his leadership in the Amílcar Cabral Ideological School (ACIS-M)...