जुम्बो वागेस थे थे नाइजीरियन MASSES

JUMBO WAGES AND THE NIGERIAN MASSES

What manner of people are Nigerians? Nigerians are a bunch of ungrateful citizens who do not see anything good in their “patriotic” leaders, or is it rulers. They complain, murmur and criticize, protest about every “good” decision and policy that their rulers are taking in “the national interest”. Recently the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) announced its recommendation of more than 100 per cent increase in the remuneration packages and allowances of public office holders, legislators and judicial workers and since then these ‘ungrateful’ Nigerians have been shouting themselves to high heavens.

What is wrong in rewarding our politicians and public office holders for their misrule and mis-governance of the country? These politicians need to be rewarded for the epileptic power supply, poor state of our roads, poor health facilities, collapse of the public school system, poor state of public facilities and infrastructures; and of late, the mounting insecurity in the Niger Delta region. They deserve to be rewarded because these are the result of their performance in office. These legislators and office holders are our representatives; so if the get jumbo packages, we are the ones getting them. As custodians of constituency projects fund, who know what is best for their people, what are these hue and cries over meager salaries. If they can use their constituency funds so well, what are a few millions to them? I think we are insulting the sensibilities of our (dis)honourable men when we raise hell over their welfare.

These politicians and office holders deserved these jumbo packages because they represent us. If we cannot send our children to schools any longer, but our leaders’ children are attending high fee-paying schools abroad, there is nothing wrong. These children are representing our children at home, like their parents. If a Nigerian cannot afford a treated mosquito net or over-the-counter (OTC) anti malaria drugs, but our politicians and office holders can receive medicare from the best medical facilities abroad, there is nothing wrong. They are representing us; and their good health is for national interest. If Nigerians do not have access to potable water, but our politicians can afford the choicest wine in the world, it is in our best interest for them to drink these wines, not because they are gluttonous but it is all in national interest.

Like George Orwell said in Animal Farm, these public officers and politicians do a lot of “brain work” and like the pigs in the story, who took milk just to facilitate their governing of the animal kingdom; our politicians need these jumbo packages and other pecks of office, to enable them misgovern, or is it misrule us, it is well. It is in our national and collective interests that our politicians must be well paid. Forget these stories of corruption and contract scams; it is the work of the opposition. Talking about opposition reminds one of a call by the Action Congress that, Nigerians should take to the streets to protest the proposed new packages. You see this Action Congress people; they have nothing doing, and like Nigerian universities students, they are often looking for “action”. Who made them opposition party, or watchdog of the greatest party in black Africa? Lest they forget, our great party will be in office for the next 50, 60 or is it hundred years. These action people are the real enemies of Nigeria and Nigerians, if the Nigerian leaders are well fed or well taken care of; it simply means that Nigerians are well taken care of.

Don’t mind those press boys who are complaining that senators were paid N2.5 million for one sitting, when they passed the supplementary budget. A man that passed a supplementary budget also needs some supplement himself? These press boys are jealous; our senators did not go to the National Assembly to become poorer. If they pass budget and there is no fall out into their pockets then why are they our senators? After all, what is wrong if a man who is sharing something starts the sharing from himself; and also end up taking the largest portion?

Even though their sitting allowance for one day was more than the total remuneration recommended by the RMAFC, we deserve it because they have to cut short their well deserved recess to come and pass the budget for the interest and welfare of Nigerians. Don’t ask me what they were doing during the period they sat before recess. Also, this token was not just an encouragement for our members to attend the senate sittings, but also a kind of inconvenience allowance. You must be stupid to consider our senators our servants. What an insult? They did not seek your votes (did your votes actually count) to serve you. They really seek your vote and consent to serve them, so don’t complain. By now, these Nigerians must come to the realization that all Nigerians are equal, but some Nigerians are more equal than others. Nigerians get levels.

The other day, my friend was complaining that the member representing his federal constituency has never contributed to any issue in the hallowed chamber of the house. And that, on a daily basis, members of the constituency have been gathering around their televisions to catch a glimpse of their representative; even if he is sleeping when the house is in session, but their hopes have always been dashed. The people are wondering whether it is a conspiracy by television houses not to show this representative or his political detractors have bribed the cameramen to blacklist their “worthy” son. But another indigene of their area wondered if their brother is given the opportunity to speak in the house, what would he say; and in what language would he speak, the official English language or their native tongue; and moreover, what would he say? But this honourable member is supposed to be the voice of the constituency. I consoled them that their representative maybe a silent operator, who works behind the scenes and is active and vibrant at the committee level. But they laughed me to scorn.

Press boys, Action Congress and all those “bad belle” people who are complaining about the new packages for our legislators and public office holders should go, join a political and contest election to enjoy these freebies instead of murmuring. Napoleons are always right and whatever they do are in the national interest.