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BETWEEN DANGOTE'S DRIVERS AND OBASANJO'S PROFESSIONALS By
In this difficult period in respect of employment and other opportunities in the Nigerian nation, for hundreds of thousands of graduates (of various grades of post secondary institutions), an urgent advertisement on vacancy for employment was placed by Dangote Group for positions with a salary package of at least N180, 000.00K per month! The academic qualification required is ‘ a maximum of secondary school education with certificate’! Other special requirements included good eyesight, good knowledge of nationwide trunk roads and an ability to carry out minor repairs. Get ready for it, this package is for drivers, yes, people that can drive (only 40-ton) trucks.
It is indeed a wonderful world. Who says there is no hope for ordinary Nigerians?
The most interesting aspect of this momentous incident is its ironic disposition when the pay package of highly educated Nigerian professionals in the government’s employ is considered. Take for an example; a brilliant mechanical engineering graduate lucky to be employed by the Federal Ministry of Works shall collect a monthly salary of less than N25, 000. 00K. Worse is my friend, a chemical engineer by profession who receives less than N16, 000. 00K as take home in the employ of the Kano State government.
Granted, Dangote Group is a private conglomerate while the Federal Ministries are public institutions as such it is expected that those in the private sector should earn more than those with the government because issues like pension and gratuity are not entertained by the former.
This argument is plausible if the disparity is less than 20% and where the comparison is between Staff of the same grade and level. But, with all due respect to the skilled driver and his profession, not when the comparison is between a driver and a mechanical engineer. In this case, Dangote’s driver earns 620% more than Obasanjo’s mechanical engineer! Although the driver’s employer has a self-proclaimed worth of N177 billion and was magnanimous enough to donate N250 million to Obasanjo’s campaign (and, as was rumored, added another one million Euros), yet he comes no near the engineer’s employer who earns trillions of Naira every year.
It is instructive to note that it is only the people from ‘outside’ that worry about his loss of over N700 billion in the last four years. It is generally established that the quest for amassing wealth is universal. Since money is required in almost every endeavour in life, many are of the belief that money should be sought as an end in itself and not a means to an end.
They say that ‘money is everything and everything is money.’ Somewhere else they add, ‘money makes the world go round.’ To some ‘money is like the sixth sense without which one can not make complete use of the other five.’ But at the end of the spectrum, one finds others that christen money as ‘the root of all evil.’ So the questions here are: What exactly does the term money represent? What can one do for money? How relevant is money to the corporate existence of Nigerian nation? And other cognate queries.
Money is a value tender, a medium of exchange. It could be on paper, metallic or even electronic. In simple terms, it is that which is used in payments for goods and services. This makes money so central to man’s existence. One needs money to feed at least himself and his family; he needs money to provide clothing, shelter and general security for his household. It is required to obtain adequate medical attention in cases of illness. Money is required to acquire education, achieve relevance and attain a dignified status in modern communities. Those last ones are the most disturbing. An orphan friend of mine once told me about how his poor eldest brother was humiliated during a family meeting concerning the impending wedding of their most junior sister. The five senior brothers were ordered to discontinue their ‘useless meeting’ by their mother since their (rich) junior brother ‘who knows what he is doing’ was unable to attend. She concluded that all their deliberations were ‘null and void.’ What can one do or not do for money is best answered by looking around the society one lives within, Nigeria in this case. And surely the facts will speak for themselves.
In this country, many work very hard for between eight and sixteen hours a day to earn an honest living as best as they can. Some leave their homes as early as 6am and only return between 8 and 10pm to rest their overworked torsos. Yet what most of this people earn suffices not to take care of their basic family needs. On the other hand, some ‘work’ between 10pm and 6am to deprive the first group of what they earned. Another group work between 8am and 4pm to earn a living, but most of the time, they end up sentencing the first two groups to economic oblivion. In which of these groups do you honestly belong?
It was reported that when one poor Nigerian pilgrim came across a high delegation of Nigerian leaders in Saudi Arabia during Hajj operations a few years ago, he opened his mouth and shouted at them ‘Allah ya tsine wa barayin Najeriya!’ (May God curse the looters of Nigeria!) As these leaders gazed at him in shock and awe, other pilgrims present chorused, ‘Ameen.’ This delegation of 8-4pm citizens quickly retraced their steps and vanished into the safety of the sacred environs.
It could be concluded that these poor citizens did that out of frustration as regards those human impediments between them and better socio-economic well-being. In the recent Kaduna crises, it was reported that many rich citizens were dangerously harassed by rampaging youths of their tribe and faith, in both Muslim and Christian areas. They kept warning them that ‘your turn is coming.’ It is believed by all sane Nigerians that the quests for money and power were the bases for colonization by the white men. They subdued us and used our resources to build their lands and to expand their empires. And at the end of the day they severed the political dependency and retained the economic, of course with the active participation of some of our past and present leaders.
Quest for money is at the root of almost all ethnic and religious conflicts in and around Nigeria. It is either instigated by greedy politicians to settle some personal scores, underline their power and reposition themselves closer to the National Cake, or initiated by irresponsible and ungodly religious leaders so as to benefit in social status during reconciliation and in economic status during rehabilitation.
Nowadays, the unemployed youths are willing tools to these leaders because it avails the youths with the opportunity to loot and get back at their ‘enemies.’ There was a case of one religious leader who opined, while preaching, that if God were to send another prophet after the last prophet of Islam (SAW), that prophet’s miracle will be closely associated with making money, ‘because the tradition of God is to empower his prophets to perform miracles in consonance with the wind that blows during their time. And the wind which blows during our time is that of money.’ One might think he has a point, but his action leaves no one in doubt about how the concept of money penetrated the psyche of our religious leaders.
There was also a case of an Aso Rock Villa preacher who led a group of vanity seekers in the presidential chapel and prayed for ‘successes’ in their endeavors. One is sure that deep down in the preacher’s heart, he knew that the program that brought those beauty queens was not entirely sanctioned by his faith. The wonders of money. It has been proven times without number that most of the supposed best of us are susceptible to the gimmicks of money. For example, between May 1999 and 2001, the Nigerian workers best friend was Mr. Adams Oshimole. But events between 2002 and 2003 have proven him an ‘unfortunate mole’ in their midst. Adams led Nigerians on a strike in the year 2000, which forced the Nigerian government to reduce its already announced ten Naira increment per liter of fuel to two Naira. This earned him accolades even beyond our shores. But as the storm of poverty started clearing in the life and times of Adams Oshimole, the metamorphosis began.
In 2002, when the same government hiked the fuel price by four Naira per liter, Adams ‘orchestrated a strike in which he stage-managed his own arrest along with some of his unsuspecting colleagues.’ This was according to Chuks Onwudinjo in the Insider Weekly of May 6-12, 2003. On education, in May 2002, Adams had complained about Obasanjo government allocating less than 7% of the budget on education ‘lower than 10% average under General Sani Abacha, and even far lower than the 20-25% during the Second Republic…’ Now that ASUU is fighting the same Obasanjo over the ridiculous 1.83% allocated to education in this year’s budget, Adams calls the issue ‘an ego problem.’ On the 12.5% wages increase, res ipsa loquitur. The acrobatics of Oshimole spoke for themselves. His congratulatory messages to Obasanjo on Elections 2003 sounded to high heavens. No wonder, Mr. Onwudinjo concluded that Adams Oshimole ‘has tested positive to severe compromise syndrome and must bury his head in vain soft flumes of infamy.’
Another funny and interesting case is that of Speaker Ghali Na’abba. He, it was, who fought gallantly to checkmate the executive arm of government in their unrelenting efforts to emasculate and pocket the legislature en route bastardizing our fledging democracy. Between 2000 and 2002 Ghali became a beacon of hope and the singular post of refuge amongst the leaders of this nation, but only for him to commit political hara-kiri in the year 2003. Ghali was so disgusted with the antics of President Obasanjo that he promised never to support him in his second-term bid. He had warned his Party against it. He orchestrated the impeachment proceedings against his PDP president, but what became of that is today history.
When the princess of affluence called, Ghali did not only support Obasanjo during the primary elections, but also he (Obasanjo) chaired the fund-raising dinner of the Speaker where in apparent display of appreciation, the sum of N400 million was raised. Ghali, illogically, thought that he could eat his cake and have it; unfortunately, he was to learn that Kano people would always be the last to be deceived by his comic ‘refusal’ to attend Obasanjo’s campaign rally. And ironically, that was the straw that broke his camel’s back in PDP circles.
Another example is Jerry Gana, the Information Minister. I am concerned about Jerry Gana, the life President of AGIP (any government in power). He has already amassed so much money in his chosen career of prevaricating for his master and yet whenever he opens his mouth to talk, untrue explanation emerge. A supposed man of God has submitted to the might of money. It is no surprise that nobody takes him serious anymore, so predictable.
My last example, in this line of thought, is a traditional ruler who chose to take sides with greedy members of his community against a federal worker recently appointed to man a federal establishment located in the ruler’s domain. The officer’s crime was his resolve to cleanse the system and operate a transparent and just administration. The community leaders preferred an erstwhile arrangement where money meant for official work was spent on royal and sundry endeavours.
Considering all these, it seems the question should read: What can one not do for money? Perhaps, the myriads of examples sighted do create a window of sight into the behavior of most Nigerians during the 2003 General Elections. Buhari's reputation as regards accountability was his greatest undoing from the point of view of Nigerian elites. They are sure, with him, it is not going to be business as usual. And knowing the weakness of the already economically battered citizens of this nation, Buhari had wisely advised them to collect whatever object of enticement they were given at pre-election time but follow their objective minds during casting their votes. This they were ready and happy to execute unfortunately, when the givers’ realized the potential of Buhari's 'techno-analog’ diffussant they came up with 'cutting-edge digital' rigging.
What necessitated all these acrobatics is the question of who gets to share the national cake? It seems, the evil that follows Nigeria is no other than that whose root is money. It seems the best way to approach the issue for the entire Nigeria community to reassess its values. The African society was renowned for its preference to wisdom, high sense of morals, and scholarship (religious, most especially); trading was at the end of the spectrum. It was believed that the more moderate your income the better peace you had. Still true; what do you think?
Poverty is an unwanted child, nobody wants to be associated with it, but surely it was sired by at least two members of the society. Its problem is that it makes its host perpetuate in fighting to meet basic needs, as a result of which many a man lost even his faith. Affluence is a beautiful, but spoilt kid. Everybody wants to be associated with it, but surely it stands with nobody in his grave. Its major problem is its enigmatically hydra-headed needs for nourishment and vanities. Many a time it consumes its host, dangles before him the whole world and snatches his soul. Obviously, a level–headed approach to life, by hook (not by crook), is the best way to go about seeking the moderate pleasures of this world, such that one enjoys the fruit of his diligent labour and maintains his soul.
Dangote’s driver should note that there is more to life than earning N180, 000 monthly. That money must be judiciously used (not spent in brothels and beer parlors). Obasanjo’s professionals should have faith in God and resist the temptation to steal government property even if it is only to make ends meet. Whenever it is pay day, pray to God for blessings on the little that one gets. That was how Mal. Aminu Kano lived and today his family live in peace. If you are in prison, have faith, think of Nelson Mandela. When you, legitimately, fail elections, remember Abraham Lincoln. If you are a poor schoolteacher, remember Mal. Ibrahim Shekarau. If you are rich, remember Chief MKO Abiola. If you are poor remember Gandhi. But if you think the world is yours to treat as you will, then remember Ramses of Egypt. A few years ago, Sultan Hassan of Brunei was the richest man in the world. Today, a college dropout who worked tirelessly in his garage, Mr. Bill Gates, has assumed the lead. Bill Gates, with all his money is certainly, not the happiest man in the world (recall competition, management, anti-trust, etc).
Perhaps, the happiest man in the world may be that your cousin who lives in the village, blessed with a wife and two children, who farms and feeds your elderly parents and never knows what he is missing about electricity, tap water, electronics and cars; someone who has never heard of hypertension, diabetes, ulcers and who has, probably, never been to a hospital. May 2003
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