Sometimes, I wish I could
get a life and stop being a Village Town
Crier. May be getting a new career will keep my eyes and legs off the shackles
of hardship I see my people pass through. The problems of Nigeria are so
disheartening to me. There is so much hardship everywhere. Everyone is flaring
up at the slightest opportunity or the other. Nowadays you could lose a tooth
for stepping on the feet of a man at a bustop. Your action could be accidental
but the reflex action that follows may even shock the man offended.
Have you ever wondered
why most of the cases of lynching in Nigeria occur in the rural or impoverished
areas? This is because the people are looking for objects to vent their
frustrations and anger on. You could lose your head if you steal as low as N50
at the wrong street in Nigeria. The case of OPC’s maltreatment and tearful
physical abuse of the two Ejigbo women in Lagos for reportedly stealing tomatoes
is another case in hand. The perpetrators beat the women to the extent that
they were almost begging for death. These same OPC members will align themselves
with politicians that perpetrate the major damage in the society by stealing
developmental funds. The economy is quite in a pitiful state.
There are only a few
cities/states in Nigeria out of the 36 states that can guarantee success and self-development.
This is centered on Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. Other states may follow but
they are not concrete enough. Every individual in Nigeria especially youth
wants to be in Lagos. This is because of the over-centralization of industries
in the state. The population of Lagos is currently standing at over 21 million
people and ever increasing. Facilities and resources are heavily strained. Most
young people don’t even know what they are working for, no major achievements
but major job tasks. Every individual seems to be living on hope in an oil-rich
country. If auditors are sent to do a free financial analysis of the lives of
certain workers, they will realize that they have been living for the day. This
is not due to having the right jobs but the high cost of living in the city. This
to a large extent applies to Port Harcourt and Abuja but I can only speak
confidently of Lagos because that is where I work as a Village Town crier.
My question is, where
is our messiah coming from? Buhari just dropped a bomb shell that he is 72 and
probably too old to strongly monitor all the affairs of the state like he should. This issue was raised during the period of electioneering campaign and
his supporters made reference to the age late South African legend Nelson Mandela
ascended the highly esteemed presidency post in his country. Reading his statement in his news
was heart-breaking. I remember the pains and sweat of campaigning for this man.
I remember how my dad that is close to 70 years old woke up so early to queue
at the polling booth in Ibadan just to vote for Buhari and to shock my reader,
he also waited behind to protect his vote and I asked myself, what strength
would he had used in protecting his vote in the real sense? But that was the
spirit of a determination for a change. So who has the strength and intellectual
capacity to change Nigeria? We will keep searching and I hope we will ever
find. The minds of the youths have been heavily corrupted by terrible leaders
gulping the funds for the entire population and their pot bellies is vivid
evidence.
What struck your minds
about the reports that the National Assembly members will receive a total of
N8.64 billion as a wardrobe allowance next week?
The reports that each
of 360 House of Representatives members is to get N17.5 million as a wardrobe
allowance and each of 109 senators is to get N21.5 million have been greeted
with total shock and disbelief by peeved Nigerians. The question I'd like to
ask regarding wardrobe allowance is have these legislators been going to the
Almighty chamber n*ked?
Considering that some
of our legislators have risen through the ranks, do they not have a wardrobe
before now? This is just a huge part of the excesses of governance. I wonder
what would happen to the civil servants in Osun state when they hear this after
they are being owed their salaries for 7 good months by the government.
How will the parents of
the over 200 Chiboks girls held in captive by members of the Boko haram sect for over a year welcome this news? What will be the state of minds of the civil servants in 18
other states currently being owed by the government with no check and balances
to call the so called Governors of these states to order? What will become of
their kids who need to be fed, sheltered, clothed and sent to school? Will they
ever be given a normal average life which can’t be compared to the children of
politicians living large abroad in luxury out of the pains of a generality of
Nigerian masses?
The poor in Nigeria are
not asking for too much. They just want to be allowed to carry on with their
daily activities till the day death comes. They are not fully interested in
seeing all the exotic tourist centres in the world, riding fast and flashy
cars, staying at luxury hotels, buying mansion, expensive jewelries like the
rich which they showcase on Instagram and Twitter like Senator Dino Melaye and
they just want to be with their wives and not sleep with top models in the
world like our leaders. How long will the poor painfully pay for the sins of
the rich? Why should the poor be allowed to play the role of Jesus Christ in
Nigeria?
These are rhetorical
questions we might never find answers to. Going by the song of the singer
Omawumi, “If you ask me, na who I go ask?”
It could shock you to
death that over 40% of Nigeria's GDP is consumed by our National Assembly
alone. Former Governor of Central Bank
Sanusi Lamido claimed it has been difficult to review and reverse that. We can
now see in the picture here, the attitude of the legislators we voted to
represent us. They were fighting to greedily continue with the trend of
extremely fat salaries and allowances. Nigerians must stand up for themselves.
We look up to President Buhari to reverse this brutal trend. Nigeria is almost
seeing the last days.
Let me take you through
a breakdown of what legislators who are real legislators existing for the
betterment of the state earn across the world. Sit back; take a drink because
the happenings are really dehydrating.
SENATOR'S
PAY WORLDWIDE PER ANNUM
* Bangladesh –
$4,000.00
* Sri Lanka – $5,100.00
* India – $11,200.00
* Malaysia – $25,300.00
* Thailand – $43,800.00
* Spain – $43,900.00
* Ghana – $46,500.00
* Saudi Arabia –
$64,000.00
* Indonesia –
$65,800.00
* Kenya – $74,500.00
* France – $85,900.00
* Sweden – $99 300.00
* South Africa –
$104,000.00
* Britain – $105,400.00
* New Zealand –
$112,500.00
* Israel – $114,800.00
* Germany – $119,500.00
* Ireland – $120,400.00
* Hong Kong –
$130,700.00
* Japan – $149,700.00
* Canada – $154 000.00
* Singapore –
$154,000.00
* Brazil – $157,600.00
* United States –
$174,000.00
* Italy – $182,000.00
*Nigeria -
$2,183,685.00
The details of the
remuneration of an
average Nigerian
Senator is detailed below;
* Basic Salary (B.S) –
N2,484,245.50
* Hardship Allowance
(50% of B.S) –
N1,242,122.70
* Constituency
Allowance (200% of B.S) –
N4,968,509.00
* Newspapers Allowance
(50% of B.S) –
N1,242,122.70
* Wardrobe Allowance
(25% of B.S) –
N621,061.37
* Recess Allowance (10%
of B.S) – N248,424.55
* Accommodation (200%
of B.S) – N4,968,509.00
* Utilities (30% of
B.S) – N828,081.83
* Domestic Staff (70%
of B.S) – N1,863,184.12
* Entertainment (30% of
B.S) – N828,081.83
* Personal Assistants
(25% of B.S) – N621,061.12
* Vehicle Maintenance
Allowance (75% of B.S) –
N1,863,184.12
* Leave Allowance (10%
of B.S) – N248,424.55
* Severance Gratuity
(300% of B.S) –
N7,452,736.50
* Car Allowance (400%
of B.S) – N9,936,982.00
* TOTAL MONTHLY SALARY
= N29,479,749.00
($181,974.00)
* TOTAL YEARLY SALARY =
N29,479,749.00 x 12
= N353,756,988.00
The average salary of
Nigerian worker based on the national minimum wage is N18,000.00, So, the yearly
salary is N18,000.00 x 12 = N216,000.00.
Remember, Yearly Salary
of Nigerian Senator = N353,756,988.00
Proportion:
N353,756,988.00/N216,000.00 = 1,638
It will take an average
Nigerian worker 1,638 years to earn the yearly salary of a Nigerian Senator.
This is a major reason
why killings are prominent during political elections in Nigeria. Politicians
see a worthwhile reason to kill and maim their fellow opponents since they will
be basking in wealth for the next one term of 4 years in office. What can the
masses do? Who is our helper? We can only take records in utmost tears as the
mosquitoes pierce our skins for that red wine all through the long nights.
The Village Town Crier drops his pen in
sadness.
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