Without Embedded Privileges, Will Thou Embrace Politics?

 

Happy workers’ day to Nigerians who work hard and even smart, but unfortunately earn less than political office workers who receive rewards in exaggerated proportions. The fact that I’ll soon be a member of the country’s political class wouldn’t deter the sincerity of my thoughts expressed in this and many more writings. So, I pen this article with the consciousness that the question is also directed at me. Now that it appears the political terrain in Nigeria is a very fertile ground that is astronomically more rewarding of the ‘hard work’ of politicians than the diligence of millions of non-political professionals & entrepreneurs, a pandemic arising from such detrimental political reward culture is apparently about to consume the rest of us. The crux of this commentary, therefore, is to interrogate this destructive trend of exorbitant privileges along our political corridor that has become more addictive than pornography. This patriotic piece of writing attempts to speak to each Nigerian who parades himself/herself as a politician, reminding each one major reason they are often more joyous in the celebration of Democracy Day than the average Nigerian, is the near-assurance of personal democratic dividends.

The excessive pleasure condensed in our political firmament for politicians in the midst of extreme displeasure of millions of Nigerians are like tons of sugar that attract a colony of ants. The immodest privileges and pleasures that line the Nigerian political turf continue to attract every tom, dick and harry to join the narrative of being called a Nigerian politician. If only to give us a fresh breath in the political arena, our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must be interested not only in the “reform of governance structure; revamp of physical infrastructure; and recovery of social architecture, but also in the remodeling of Nigeria’s Political culture”. Why? It’s in order to separate the wheat from the chaff and have mostly those who seek to serve us than serve themselves.

To that Supervisory Councilor of a Local Government Area Council, Commissioner heading a State Ministry, Chief Executive of a Federal Government-owned agency, and also those about to be garbed in the privileged and prestigious title of “Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Honourable Member of the House of Representatives, Executive Governor of XYZ State or President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, please do Nigerians the honour of undertaking a simple task. Could you look into the mirror and ask yourself, or let your spouse or closest relative do the honours of asking you an introspective question; Without the elaborately embedded privileges that abound in public offices in Nigeria, will you still embrace politics?

A prominent former American actress and producer, Tex Guinan, once alluded in her lifetime that “a politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country” – a description that can appears to be more befitting of the contemporary Nigerian politician than his/her American counterpart. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999 after years of military domination, Nigeria’s democratic practice has delivered more to him (the typical Nigerian politician; who are mostly male folks anyways) than to you (the ordinary Nigerian) - you may not like that statement of fact! However, as it stands today, Politics is unarguably one of the most profitable engagements in Nigeria and its magnificent socioeconomic spoils have become systematically incorporated and legitimized to continue to lure more self-driven than service-drawn Nigerians to the political field. Whereas, politicking ought to be left alone for selfless and service-conscious persons; not for rent-reaping, business-bound, pleasure-pursuing and privileges-preoccupied members of Nigeria’s elite clan.

Juicy office, a mundane political lexicon within the Nigerian democratic context, is a tell-it-all of the pleasures-seeking mindset of the political subdivision of the sizable elite group in the world’s most populous black nation. Jegudu jera (translated as Fraudsters) is a demeaning tag on the average politician in Nigeria, by the citizens, for the mindless consumption of what is meant for all but stashed as privileges for a few. Politicians and their lots appear to be served our national juice a la carte. Should we continue to have national development in trickles while politicians deepen their institutional drains for personal enrichment in torrents?

Truly, as a politician, do you love to serve Nigeria and Nigerians so much that you actually drew down N10million, N15million, or N20 million to purchase that nomination form for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives or Governorship election without a ‘guarantee’ of meaningful personal returns on your ‘investment’? Should Nigerian residents have the guts to get on the street to compel the legislators at the National Assembly to amend the existing, or make new laws in favour of the scrapping of full-time legislative duties, use of exotic cars, retinue of security officials and the myriads of discreet sources of ‘free money’ allotted to 109 Senators and 360 Members of the House of Representatives, how many Nigerians will come out to vie for these seats anymore? I’ve always jocularly asked friends and acquaintances who are full-fledged politicians this question and some sincerely retort that of a certainty, if there were no privileges in return for the tens of millions of naira they ‘invest’ in politics, the game won’t be worth their monies. If a lie detector or Sango oath was administered on all Nigerian politicians, more than 95% are likely to give similar answers!

Of course, privileges inherent in public offices are not bad in themselves. Afterall, the political office holders are also working and deserve their wages. However, can you raise a finger to the sky to denounce the perception that the entrenchment of extravagance in the use, overuse or misuse of the following State privileges isn’t your major (or only) motivation for elective and non-elective political positions in Nigeria?

·      Portly remunerations spread across several allowances and fringe benefits (not salaries), such as that earned by a Local Government Councilor in some States, which outweighs the total take-home package of a University Professor;

·       Post-tenure pension packages that are as bogus as containing 3 exotic cars every 4 years, 100% of current State Governor’s basic salary, free medical services for the former Governor and all members of his immediate family, 5-bedroom duplex in two choice Nigerian cities, 3 mobile policemen, two officers of the Department of State Security (DSS), two drivers not below grade level 07, 2 Personal Assistants not below grade level 08 and 2 other domestic staff;

·    Power to influence the award of mouth-watering government contracts, public sector employment opportunities and other restricted benefits in favour of yourself, cronies and family members;

·   Privilege to be nominated as a dollar-valued delegate at political party conventions to elect flagbearers;

·        Pleasure of daily use of a long convoy of exotic cars racing recklessly under the cover of wild sirens by putting cars and lives of other road users in danger and frittering public funds;

·    Pampered occupation of Government Houses by family members, close friends and allies, and access to uninterrupted power supply, state-of-the-art facilities and general picture of an illusionary segregation from the commotions of the Nigerian streets and places of habitation;

·   Protection from legal proceedings, through constitutional immunity for President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, State Governors and their Deputies; 

·        Provocative closure of many roads and line-up of a large number of Nigeria’s grossly inadequate security workforce in the sun by the roadside for several hours before Mr. President’s occasional visits to any city in Nigeria;

·      Propensity for unfettered expenditure of security votes by State Governors and unwritten refusal of prosecution of former Presidents for alleged corrupt practices and abuse of office after the expiration of their tenures/constitutional immunity;

·   Pronouncement of endless protocols and recognitions of political office holders at government functions and social events, just to mention a few;

·    Profligate use of a litany of uneconomical aircrafts in an over-sized and exorbitant Presidential fleet;

·     Perks that include the exclusive apportionment of diplomatic passports to some high-ranking public officials and restricted admittance to the Presidential and Very Important Persons (VIP) airport wings while in transit; just to mention a few.

To think that the country borrows heavily to fund her budget that includes these excesses calls to question the quality of our education. There is just little room for critical thinking in political circles! Then again, here is another sarcasm – recent history (such as the #ENDSARS protests and upturn of perceived political strongholds seen at the 2023 Presidential elections) has shown that these insensitive privileges are running out of time. The sweeter side of the elite-created societal inequalities now grapples with the vicious reprisals of the oppressed. The multiple folds of armed robbery, kidnapping, internet fraud and other non-State monopolization of unrest by dissidents among the shortchanged and angry citizens of the country are offering the politicians and unfortunately, all of us, horrible happenings in return for these elaborate political pleasures. The irony is that the tinted and number plates-covered vehicles cruised about town by the politically-privileged few are the major targets of attack during street riots or violent protests, putting the lives of both the partisan VIPs, their security aides and other occupants of these vehicles in great danger. What then does it profit a privileged politician to gain these privileges and yet risk losing his peace of mind? Embedded privileges indeed! A weighty contradiction in fact!

Finally, I humbly inquire of our 2023-elected political office holders that “if it wasn’t juicy, would you have contested elections? If it isn’t juicy, would you accept that coming political appointment and served diligently? Now that you’re on the train, if the ephemeral perks & pleasures of political office were revoked, would you jump off? So long as we do not ask these bitter truths and remind the political hegemony of the urgency to change the status quo ante of our “over-privileged” political culture, wide is surely the way to this nation’s self-destruction. Through an intentional and strategic mission, our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must de-escalate the exaggerated privileges accruable to the average Nigerian political office holder through every legal, political and other means possible upon assumption of office as President and Commander-in-Chief on 29^th May, 2023. The majority of Nigeria’s political class, under the guise of privileges, cannot continue to eat Nigeria’s national cake, poop it, flush the poop, and yet expect the rest of us to have the cake. Period!

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi is a Medical Doctor, Health Financing specialist, Author, Reformer, Coach, Public Policy expert and Social entrepreneur, who wrote in from Abuja in Nigeria. Email: adetoluademujimi@gmail.com; website: www.adetoluademujimi.com