Emma Okwuahaba
It is a sad irony that some legislators in the Nigerian National Assembly are seeking an increase in their pay at the time that the recently late Chief Jerome Udorji is being laid to rest. The "Udorji Award" in the 1970s could be said to be the last time that the Nigerian Worker, therefore, the Nigeria economy had a real "Stimulus" That Award was a shot in the arm of the Nigerian Worker. Every worker
from the Office Tea-girl, Gateman, to the Clerk, Officer, Supervisor, Director, Secretary and Permanent Secretary, all recieved increases in their wages. As the money circulated, traders, taxi drivers, truck and barrow pushers and other business persons also recieved their own "Udorji Award" with increases in prices of goods and services.
The Udorji Award was a real "Stimulus Plan" that stimulated every aspect of Nigerian Life because the Award afforded the Nigerian Worker a Livable Wage that impacted the Standard of Living and Quality of Life of every Nigerian. That Award was done with the Nigerian Worker as the focal point. It was a "People First" Award because it was good for the Nigerian Worker, therefore, good for Nigeria and Nigerians.
As a young lad growing up in Enugu in the day of the Udorji Award, I cannot claim to have understood the mechanics of the economic theory nor the rationale behind what everyone was so happy about. The Udorji Award tide lifted every boat in Nigeria because there was confidence, pride and even a little more pep in everyone's steps as everyone seemed happier. It seemed that we all had just a little more than we had before the Award. Some bought cars, others bought motocycles, bicycles, sewing machines, refridgerators, TVs, gas cookers, new clothes and shoes. It was a happy time for all. The government seemed to care for The People that it governed. And people did their work well and with pride.
Fast forward to Nigeria of 2010, an election year. There has been at least two Federal Constitutions and a dozen governments in Nigeria since the Udorji Awards. There is so much to be said about each constitution and of these governments. One can hardly find too many people that would agree on much about that which are to be said. But one thing is undeniable, and that is that: The Nigerian Worker has faired progressively worse with each successive government in Nigeria despite our brighter outlook and hopes. The Nigerian Worker, therefore, Nigerians, are insecure physically and psychologically, poverty is up and the way of life have plumeted by more than a 1,000 percent. The nation's education and health care structures are in shreads; physical infrastructures are in reniuns. Even running water that was available during Udorji Award days are dry. Nigeria seem to have regressed to the dark ages since the Udorji Awards with virtually no electricity.
Workers everywhere are owed salaries, pensions and entitlement payments, even as Nigeria is by all accounts a richer nation than she was during Udorji Award days.
Greed and disdain for Nigerians
With a foreign debt that is on the rise again, and dwindling foreign reserves and depleted excess crude account money, it is nauseating to hear some in the national legislature float a 40 to 100 percent pay increase for themselves in the Nigeria of today. Beyond the smoke and mirrors, one can see this vehicle of blackmail as the price some in the legislature want President Goodluck Jonathan to pay if he wants to contest the 2011 presidential election. Mr. President must stand up to this group and every Nigerian should resist this. I call on individual legislators to go on record to reject this outrage. No legislator should accept this jumbo pay raise without comparable increase in the pay of the Nigerian Worker.
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