When Senators say ₦2 million is even too small for a holiday bonus, they are behaving like Marie Antoinette, who ignited the French Revolution by saying, "Let them eat cake", when told that ordinary French citizens could not afford bread. I would like to believe that the Senator who said so was misquoted.
We do not want our public comments to precipitate a French-style revolution in Nigeria. Especially given the very recent histories in our subregion. Our Senators are meant to be representing Nigerians. And Nigerians ate going through some of the harshest economic times of their existence since 1960 because of a Buhari administration that left nothing but debt for its successors.
Therefore, It is unfair to say ₦2 million is too small in a country where the minimum wage is just ₦30,000. We should not have Senators earning maximum wages when Nigerians are earning slave wages.
In February of 2023, I organised a tour of the British equivalent of the Senate, which is the House of Lords. I remember clearly that my friend, Lord Hannan told Senator Philip Aduda that members of the House of Lords are not paid a salary because they are considered distinguished members of society with independent means.
We must have self sacrifice from our elected officials. Nigeria is not an oil rich country.
Nigeria produces less than 2 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 200 million people.
Ghana produces 200,000 barrels of oil daily for a population of 35 million people.
Angola produces 1.1 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 34.5 million people.
Libya produces 1.2 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 6.7 million people.
Saudi Arabia produces 12.5 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 35 million people.
Qatar produces 2 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 2.6 million people.
The UAE produces 3.7 million barrels of oil daily for a population of 9.6 million people.
We are an oil poor country, and our public officials must reflect that in the monies they appropriate for themselves.
#TableShaker