New Minimum wage will Prevent Politicians and the Elite from Enslaving Nigerian workers-Prof Olagoke

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that he was committed to a new minimum wage for workers in the country. Nigerian workers are  demanding for N30,00 as the new national minimum wage, but the Minister of Information has insisted that the President was yet to come out with a specific figure, just as he stressed that the Federal Executive Council, the National Economic Council and the National Assembly would determine the eventual figure that workers would receive as the new national minimum wage. However, state Governors have warned that they do not have the capacity to pay N30,000, while workers have blamed their union leaders for suspending the indefinite strike action, when the  Federal Government  is yet to accede to the workers' demand. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head  and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says a new minimum wage would prevent politicians and the elite from using workers as puns in the looting game. Excerpts :

The actual figure for the new national minimum wage is still not known, even though State Governors have warned  that they do not have the capacity to pay N30,000. What are your views  ?

We need to appreciate the labour unions'  efforts in daring the politicians and government  on the issue of the over belated minimum wage palava,. this is because the labour unions are already polarized, with the air of politics of deceit on the cause of the masses by the various governments, we have given the mandate to rule.

The All Progressives Congress(APC)led government must avoid a repeat of history on the ides of March, symbolically interpreted by the late Dr. Tai Solarin, as the beginning of the end for the then military regime of General Yakubu Gowon. The government must be reminded that their slow motion in taking decisions and carelessness in managing the economy which has direct bearing  on the lives of the people, resuscitated the ''dead' Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become the beautiful bride and sorrowful possible alternative for the poor Nigerians, come 2019 elections.
The government must equally be reminded that in the game of election manipulation the PDP takes the lead, with greater technology, not withstanding the power of incumbency.
Nigerians are afraid, afraid that the APC and PDP might tear Nigeria apart, during the 2019 general elections, taking into cognizance  the already  overheated polity-militancy, insurgency and terrorism- that have already resulted in the loss of lives and the destruction of property running into millions of Naira.

However, increase in salaries after any meeting agreements  need to pass through the due process of law, wherein the National Assembly has  to ratify, to be able to justify its inclusion in the budget, this come before the execution of the terms  of agreement.
There are also fears that the State Governors might not be willing to pay  as experienced in the Paris Club Refunds palliative issues. The labour would have been wholesome with national acceptance, if their demands had included the payment of pension arrears, gratuity and salary arrears of workers and the need to avoid been indebted to workers by government at all levels. There is also the need to step down the salaries of political office holders, most especially  the salaries of Senators, the highest paid leaders in the world, would have added feathers to the cap of the agitation. The resolution of the crucial sources of impoverishment  of the masses at this  critical period of another election would have yielded timely results because the industrial action would have been all encompassing in the face of government's deaf ears.
My appeal to the APC  led government, headed By President Buhari, is that they should avoid bureaucratic  delay in resolving this issue of workers' interest because the people are dying of hunger and avoidable ailments due to paucity of funds. Any salary received  timely by government workers goes directly to the people, right from the market place to the extended   families of the Nigerian workers.
Then timely intervention of government on this issue of minimum wage will not only motivate workers, but also boost their morale and efficiency at work for higher productivity.
It will further discourage workers been used as puns in the hands of politicians and their elite allies in the game of kleptocracy, consequently, it will create an environment for the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Crimes Commission(ICPC) in the government's crusade to exterminate corruption in the land.

Restructuring and the Quest for Igbo Presidency

In 1998, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization,Ohaneze Ndigbo restructured, 12 months after, the structure became a platform to campaign for Igbo presidency.

Again,in 2004, the socio-cultural organization restructured,even though the general elections came up in 2007. Nigerians were of the opinion that  the presidency was for all Nigerians.

Their arguments were hinged on the fact that no section of the country,was excluded from aspiring to the highest position in the land.

Indeed,there has never been and there is  still no constitutional provision or clause that allows for the exclusion of any tribe to vie for the presidency.

Interestingly, Ohaneze, is a South East Geo-Political zone based socio-cultural organization, which projects the interests of Ndigbo in particular, and the rest of Nigeria in general.

Although, at a particular point in time the organization was accused of been elitist. 

The objective, according to a cross section of those who are members of the organization, is to ensure that the ordinary  man in the street is a  member.

However,they  argue that anybody who is Igbo or of Igbo extraction,within Igboland or in Diaspora,is considered a member of Ohaneze. Such individuals, according the organization can attend  meetings without a third party making introduction.

'You can come to an Ohaneze meeting without anybody introducing you. If there is any need to introduce yourself, you get up and tell them who you are'', they stated.

Sadly, this is not the situation in the diaspora, including Oyo state.

In an interview in 2004, the President of the Anambra state chapter of Ohaneze, Dozie Ikedife,had insisted then, that restructuring was on course, irrespective of any presidential election.

'If it happens that no Igbo man is installed as President this time around, Ohaneze will still play its role to ensure that a President is installed in this country and that things move on peacefully with a sense of equity, fair play,justice and enhancement of the sense of belonging for all'', Ikedife had declared.

The then President of Ohaneze, Prof. Joe Irukwu was consistent in advocating for Igbo presidency, even though the hidden ambitions of his kith and  kin at home and in diaspora militated against his advocacy.

However,  a one time Governor of old Anambra state, Chief Christian Onoh,once observed that state Governors of the South-East geo-political zone have always worked at cross purposes, when it involved the Igbo Presidential project.

'We should tell ourselves the home truth-our Governors are not united',Chief Onoh had noted.

Sadly, some members of the political class in Igboland, project Igbo Presidency in broad day light, while vigorously facilitating an agenda at variance with the collective interests and aspirations of Ndigbo,under the cover of darkness, 'when NEPA don take light'.

Since no tribe or ethnic group has been excluded from Nigeria, the debate about who occupy the number one seat in 2019 and beyond,should be for all and sundry. Perhaps

Workers Welfare: Michael Imoudu as a Role Model 3

Discrimination was the order of the day during the colonial era. In November, 1947, Imoudu led others to demonstrate against racial discrimination at the Bristol Hotel, Lagos.  In the cause of the demonstration, he was physically assaulted and arrested by the Police. However, of worry, is the self-preservation approach of present day labour leaders. At different times, he mobilized the conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to protest against colonial rule and also workers and peasants for the independence movement led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, during the nationwide tour of the National Council of Nigeria Citizens (NCNC), to raise funds and support for the Nigerian delegation to the constitutional conference in London. The Labour wing of the NC-Democratic Grand  Alliance, of which Imoudu was a member, won four seats in the Lagos Town Council elections in 1950. In 1964, Imoudu  led the general strike  against the restriction of Democracy, which was  targeted at compelling the Government to implement the report of the Morgan commission. In addition, he was a member of the Marxist Socialist Workers and Farmers Party. In the Second Republic, he was Vice President of the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP) led by Mallam Aminu Kano. His track record formed the basis for his becoming the founding President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) in 1964. The NLC of today possess a different design and ideology. Sadly, pragmatic approach to labour issues and concepts remain lacking, even as Labour leaders' sacrifices and tribulations for Nigerian workers are cosmetic, debatable and trailed by controversy. Those in the labour struggle, with Imoudu's frame of mind and character are relatively few and extremely difficult to identify, in these days of ''he who pays the piper, dictates the tune''.

Soon after the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC)Comrade Ayuba Wabba met with the Chief of Staff to the President at the presidential villa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Mallam Garba Sheu disclosed that the Federal Government would resume talks with organized labour on Thursday, 4 October, 2018. On Sunday, labour suspended the strike action, which it had described as indefinite. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the labour unions in Nigeria today can only bark, but cannot bite. 
Excerpts :
Not long ago, labour proceeded on an indefinite strike action, over the new national minimum wage issue, but a few days into the strike it called it off. What are your views ?

Since the time of the late Michael Imoudu to the era of Hassan Sunmonu, labour unions were found to be very dynamic in effecting the necessary changes for workers in Nigeria.
This antecedent along the line of history made Nigerians to believe that the salvation of workers would be  in the hands of the labour unions as pressure groups and that it would pay Nigeria to have a labour party as well, while labour leaders strive for power.
However, contrary is the case, in the era of Adams Oshiomole, he was a down to earth labour leader, but disappointedly lived below the expectation of the people as a politician opportuned to be in a sensitive position of State Governor and as a Chairman of a crumbling mega political party, which weeps everyday for people to rescue it, in the face of fierce opposition.

Against this background, the present labour unions, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress(TUC) are more of a polarized union system, whose dynamic members are made to operate in cloudy atmosphere of the political parties, that know the art and craft of what can easily weaken any pressure group.
Structurally, the demands of the unions are not holistic and too narrow, the direction would rather have been  compelling the government to pay pension arrears to retirees as well as salary arrears to workers, two, ensuring that government at all levels do not owe workers anymore, three, ensuring that the political office holders' salaries and allowances are pruned  down, foe example what Senators receive is too ridiculous to be imagined, N13.5 million compared to the minimum wage of N18,000, in the same environment where inflation and the prices of commodities are above the bearable level.
Once the workers are paid regularly, they would go to the market to buy, thereby making the currency to serve its purpose. A situation whereby workers are owed by government, demoralizes, demobilizes and weakens the morale to boost production activities.
Nigerian workers, generally, deserve to be motivated in the spirit of achieving the desire of Democracy as a  goal in attending to the welfare of the people through justice and equity for peace and sustainable development.
The calculation of the unions is that, with the fast approaching  general elections, most especially as it concerns those who intend to retain themselves in power, government may expectedly bow down to their pressure, but without curbing the wastages in government spending and regularizing the salary packages in the country to be without too much of a gap between political office holders and civil servants, it would be difficult for government to accede to the demands of trade unions.
Structurally, Nigeria's socio-economic and political scenes have been dysfunctional for any government to perform well and meet up with addressing the plight of the masses.
Integrity is a moral challenge in our democratic dispensation and Nigeria has been misruled over the years, to the extent that the core values have been eroded.
At the spiritual scene, Nigerians are hypocrites, dining with the devil, but deceiving themselves by hiding under the cover of religion.
When people without conscience get into power, all equations and formula, political, economic and mathematical, would surely, fail, making governance to impoverish, rather than build the people.
This will continue to lead to building strong individuals through corrupt enrichment with consequent fall out of weak institutions that would always add to the burden of the masses.
The present government as well as the opposition are one and the same and will remain impervious to the plight of the masses, in the face of indecisive unions, excerpt we are all out to make sacrifices for Nigeria, to be able to build it and give it to the youth as an enduring  legacy.
All arms of government, the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature, as well as the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, must act according to their functional mandates and decide to build a virile nation.
When workers are motivated aright, productivity would be enhanced into a higher Gross Domestic Product for appreciable human development index.

Let us all submit ourselves for assessment and evaluation through  the Corporate Governance Perception Index.
By this, the true statistics of our situation would be transparently mapped our for government to be able to make amends in the weak areas.

There is a need for government and the labour unions to strike a balance between their demand of N65,000 and government's  present minimum wage which had put Nigeria as one of the most poverty ridden nations, in the eyes of the international community.
Dialogue failure at this time, may be very disastrous to the economic activities of the nation. Government must stop toying with the lives of the masses in Nigeria.

We Shall Vote Out Corrupt Politicians in 2019-Oyo Workers

Nigerians workers  have been called upon to vote out corrupt and anti-people political office holders in the 2019 general elections.

This call was made by the Chairman of the Oyo state chapter of the  Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria(ASCSN), Comrade Babatunde Balogun, at a News Conference in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''We will use the 2019 general elections to turn this dismal record around, by voting out the corrupt and anti-masses government in Nigeria at all levels to have a government of our own. Our stand on this is that the nation's expensive Democracy, natural, human and hard earned resources is only serving the interest of the ruling elite who are less than five percent of Nigeria's population, this has placed the plight of the working class and the masses in general on deaf ears.''

Comrade Balogun lamented that those who could afford to spend money were now in control of governance in the country, saying'' the commercialization of nomination forms at the huge amount to aspirants, aspiring to serve the people by political parties is also an indication that our Democracy or ruler ship in Nigeria is for the highest bidder who in return will be coming into office to recover his investment through profit maximization.''

''This ugly situation with the nation's political system means that the political space would be monopolized by only the big boys in the business of looting, who rather than come into office to meet the constitutional social contract of providing basic amenities, pay its workforce handsomely and protect life and property of the electorate, will use the office to accumulate wealth, deny the people of their rights and further plunge the nation into a deeper state of hopelessness.''

Workers Welfare : Michael Imoudu as a Role Model 2

The need for an increase in wages and better working conditions prompted Imoudu to lead a demonstration from the locomotive yard in Ebute metta, Lagos to the Government House situated at Marina, Lagos Island, Lagos. The Governor General of the Colony of Lagos, Bernard Bourdillon noticed that any form of industrial action at that period, could disrupt railway supplies to the coalition, during the Second World War in 1941. It was on this premise he acceded to a 50 per cent pay rise for the workers. This success, further inspired Imoudu to put forward more demands, among which were conversion of daily casual labour to salaried employment, Saturday work with pay, permanence of daily labour, holiday travel grant and payment of arrears to cover 1932 to 1942 of unpaid entitlements. This did not go down well with Bourdillon, who facilitated the termination of Imoudu’s appointment on 23 January, 1943 and also ordered his arrest under the Nigeria General Defense Regulations, 1941. In quick succession he was relocated and remanded at the Benin prison, while in prison, he influenced inmates to demonstrate against poor feeding and other deplorable prison conditions. In response, the British Colonial Government in 1943, restricted Imoudu’s movement to the palace of the paramount Chief of Auchi and made an order for him to report twice a week to the Auchi Police station. As a result of a face off with the District Officer of Auchi and his moves to facilitate the establishment of peasants’ cooperatives for the benefit of peasants in Etsako and Ora, he was again remanded in the Auchi prison. Some of his comrades, including T.A Bankole openly spoke against Imoudu’s action, to the hearing of the Chief Secretary of Government. After spending two and a half years in prison, the labour activist was set free. A mass rally was held at Oko-Awo, Lagos to celebrate his release from prison, while nationalists such as Herbert Macaulay were on ground to grace the occasion. In June 1945, he successfully led over 30,000 workers to down tools for 44 days. The industrial action was hinged on the inability of the colonial Government to actualize the promise of Bourdillon in 1942, to review allowances according to living index. Bourdillon’ successor, Arthur Frederick Richards vigorously refused to pay the allowance. This resulted in the abrupt end of the unpopular Richards constitution, and set the stage for self government. To be continued.

Workers Welfare : Michael Imoudu As A Role Model 1

The activities of Labour leaders today is the raging  debate among workers in Nigeria. Workers express sadness and worry over the way their leaders handle issues concerning them.

While the workers continue to wallow in the vicious cycle of poverty, hunger and worry, their leaders insist that they should be patient and show understanding with the Government.

The agility and activeness of labour leaders of the present time, is determined by the political class and not by the deteriorating condition of workers in the country.

Up till this moment, the name Michael  A thokhamien  Imoudu, represents a good example of a labour leader with a difference within the Nigerian territory and has continued to serve a s a source of inspiration  for the present set of labour leaders. Perhaps.

Imoudu was born on 7, September, 1902, to a Soldier, who had fought in East Africa. His upbringing resulted into his fearless personality. He did not have fear for witches or wizards, master or servant, black or white.

At the age of 14, he began his education at the Government school, Ora. In the course of his education, he received double promotion to standard one. After the death of his Father, the forward looking young Imoudu moved on in his quest for education, at various times at Ontisha, Benin, Sapele, Warri and Agbor.

His adult life revolved on protests against wrong doing by constituted authority. As a student of the Government school, Agbor he staged his first protest.

He led students of the school to protest against the alleged embezzlement of Empire funds by the school’s teachers. This resulted in the manhandling of the Headmaster.

At various times, he worked as linesman in the Department of Post and Telegraph (P and T) in 1928 and an apprentice machinist at the Railway Corporation. He worked tirelessly on three shillings and four pence per day. The work conditions depressed those in the railway and it was noticeable, but the grievances of the railway men were uncoordinated. During the industrial action of the sectional foundery men in 1931, Imoudu spearheaded a platform to fight for the rights of workers. This he made possible by opting to work as journey man at a reduced wage of three shillings per day.

On 20, January, 1940, Imoudu was the only one among his colleagues, who  signed the registration document of the Railway workers union and on 7, October, 1940, Imoudu was elected President of Railway men.  To be continued.

Corruption : Nigeria’s Laws Are For All And Sundry

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde has declared that Nigeria does not need its loan to give good health to the sickly economy.

Rather, Lagarde recommended belt tightening measures to restore vibrancy and life to the economy. Lagarde also urges the Federal Government to be flexible in its foreign exchange policy.
Indeed, the debt relief granted Nigeria by the Paris club during the tenure of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, could be said to be the biggest debt write off for sub-Saharan Africa. $18 billion of debt written off. The Paris club agreed to write off Nigeria’s debt without an IMF economic programme.
Of course, the country would not forget in a hurry, the harrowing experiences it had with the implementation of an IMF programme in the past, this is just as an idea of a national consensus for intensive reforms required to transform the ailing economy could not be woven around an IMF programme. The National Economic Development Strategy(NEEDS) served that purpose. Presently, what is the country’s debt burden, nobody is asking this all important question.
Be that as it may, economic experts have expressed reservations over the Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s economic policies, prominent among which are the introduction of the Treasury Single Account(TSA) and foreign exchange policies.
Indeed, financial experts are already expressing misgivings about the constitution of the present administration’s economic team.
Since the inception of the present administration, not much has been heard of the Progressive Governors Forum(PGF). The forum was vocal during the period before the 2015 general elections.
According to the PGF, its ”goal is to mobilize all APC state governments to facilitate accelerated human development through undertaking policies and programmes to improve quality of life of citizens, eradicate poverty and create jobs in the country. Has the forum been able to achieve its goal ?, the people are in the best position to answer this all important question. Of note is that the President Buhari led administration is giving the issue of corruption adequate attention, although the citizenry continue to meditate on the cost of this attention.
However, in a chat with a select group of journalists in Abuja, in 2015, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had said, ”I am aware that the President knows that he has only 4 years minus two months. So it is not four years anymore. And if he wants to probe Nigeria, where does he stop ? 16 years ? 50 years ? Where do you stop, when you want to do that kind of probe ?”.
Indeed, history has shown that probes come at great cost. In his maiden media chat, President Buhari absolved his Ministers of corruption allegations.
Curiously, in a two page advertorial in the Guardian of Tuesday, 4 August, 2015, a group, Integrity group, had stated that one of the President’s Ministers and former Governor of Rivers state, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi was involved in the fraudulent sale of state Power Projects and Conversion of Proceeds amounting to N6,480,000,000.00, unlawful payment and fraudulent conversion of N4,633,440,000.00 by Clinoriv Specialist Hospitals and Leisure Limited and unlawful payment of Messrs Collect(Nig) Limited with public funds to the tune of One billion five hundred and five million, eight hundred and ninety-eight Naira, Seventy-two Kobo.
Without doubt, Nigerians have taken great interest in the $2.1 billion arms deal, even as the general belief is that the laws of the land are for everybody. Perhaps.

2016 : Nigerians Are Eager To Safeguard Their Constitutional Rights

During the reign of President Milosevic of Old Yugoslavia, independent journalists were labelled traitors and foreign spies. Several; journalists were killed, put in jail or convicted in the law court.
That particular period of Old Yugoslavia’s history, a clique ruled the country. Milosevic ensured that Serbs became the biggest pariah of the international community. The President also ensured that Serbs were guilty of everything, even as 23 per cent of Serbs were sent packing from their homes. Monthly salaries did not exceed $3.
Indeed, the Judicial system was not independent and not strong enough to ensure justice for the citizenry. This resulted in Milosevic’s trial for war crimes outside his country. Sadly, the international community did not have confidence in the local courts.
Situations like this abound in several countries around the world, still grappling with the hydra like problems of dwindling economic fortunes and corruption. In this countries, the unemployment rate is abnormally high, while the citizens adopt crime as a means to an end.
At the commencement of the Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration in Osun state, Nigeria in May 2003, infrastructure, Education, Water supply and the Health sectors among others were in bad shape.
Osun state been a worker driven economy, the previous administration has impoverished citizens of the state, with its decision to sack a larger number of civil and public servants. Those still lucky to still be in service were earning pittance, occasioned by deductions, initiated by the administration. Today, the state is back to where it was before May, 2003.
Curiously, vocabularies synonymous with capitalism such as Public Private Partnership ad Consultant have taken root in several states of Nigeria.
Of note is the fact that Nigeria’s President, General Muhammadu Buhari(rtd) had written a letter dated 18th April, 2003, to then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
President, Buhari had stated in his letter ”I decided to join partisan politics and seek elective office solely out of my concern for the condition of the country. Here, I need to go into issues such as the collapse of public undertakings, like NEPA, Our university system, health services, roads and transportation and security of life and property. All these inspite of the stupendously high oil revenues that have accrued to the nation since you became President. In my relatively short period of political activism, one of my constant advice to the Nigerian public has always been that they should safeguard their constitutional rights. Without doubt, Nigerians are already acting out President Buhari’s advice by safeguarding their constitutional rights, in a country with a Judicial system similar to that of Old Yugoslavia.

Looting : An Impediment to Development

The Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), through its secretary, Rev. Sunday Ibrahim, had in August, 2015, called on the state Government to ensure  the prosecution of any public or civil servant found wanting ; in its quest to rid the state civil and public service of corrupt practices.

According to Rev. Ibrahim, prosecuting corrupt officials is necessary to rid the state of those who enriched themselves at the expense of the government and people of Kaduna state.
”I believe that there are people that may not be working in this state and are still collecting money from the government coffers. Just like we have been hearing that one person is collecting the salaries of 10, 15 or 20 and above. People that are not working with the government but they are collecting salaries from the Kaduna state government, or people that are ghost workers but they collect money. We have heard cases whereby somebody died for a long time and then someone else is collecting the money and the families are not getting the money”.
”I plead with the government, whosoever is party to it, the government should bring the person to book, irrespective of his religion, his family background and who that person is”, the CAN secretary had stated.
Interestingly, this represents the situation of things in the three tiers of government in Nigeria. ”Cosmetic ”wars” and ”fights” are the order of the day, closely trailed by sponsored  roadshows and rallies, to distract attention from issues of ”urgent  national attention”.
Of note, is that fact that about $460 million was allegedly looted by the former military ruler, late General Sani Abacha, and was with held in foreign accounts, while part of it was released to the country.
In 2000, Mohammed Abacha and Abubakar were charged to court for allegedly acquiring N21, 705,000 billion and $315,649.500 million all totalling about N50 billion state funds, between 1995 and 1998.
The Federal Government and the Abacha family had to enter into a deal before the family returned to the government, the sum of N1.2 billion out of an estimated $1.5 billion allegedly looted by the late Head of State. Mohammed, the scion of the Abacha family in early 2005,  prayed an Abuja high court to uphold that no civil or criminal proceedings be commenced against him, in respect of stolen funds which he had forfeited  to the state.  He said that under the forfeiture of assets Decree No. 53 of 1999, his family had returned 625, 263187,19,75,305,886.93 pounds sterling, N100,000,000 and N250,000,000 to the government and therefore entitled to the provisions of the said decree.
Curiosly, Justice Amina Adamu Augie stated that the property ordered forfeited was acquired corruptly and illegally, which means that they were supposedly forfeited as proceeds of crime, the forfeited property became vested in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, free from all encumbrances, according to Decree No. 53 of 1999.
In 2005, a news magazine reported that ”the regime of Abdulsalam Abubakar also allegedly pillaged the nation’s treasury during his 11 months rule as the Head of state. He allegedly siphoned several  billions in both local and foreign currencies, including $40 million that was contributed by multi national companies.
For the late Sani Abacha’s self succession bid, members of the military high command were to be given $500,000 as parting gift, but Abubakar was said to have given out $50,000. The eight year military dictatorship of Ibrahim Babangida, saw the nation losing over $24 million oil windfall, which has remained unaccounted for. The regime also took Nigeria through several ”laboratory powered” political programmes, which ended up as ‘experiments”, but with billions of Naira down the drain. Nigeria’s brief Democratic experience between 1979 and 1983 under President Sheu Shagari also took the country through a cycle of huge financial losses, in fraudulent rice importation and unexpected ”white elephant” projects.  During former President Oulsegun Obasanjo’s tenure, , form 1999 to 20007, the government’s anti-corruption war, sought several political office holders and appointees, as many of them were forced to return millions of Naira acquired through corrupt enrichment.
In the present time, the current travail  of the nation and unending economic hardship may tarry for as long as the nation’s resources, which have been looted remains between players in the immediate past and present administrations.

In Nigeria The People Still Expect the Desired Change

The socio-economic fortunes of Nigeria continues the downward slide, despite the present administration’s repeated assurances that it would take steps to plug all visible and invisible leakages.
Truly, the bail out initiative of the Federal Government has gone a long way in enabling state governments to clear the backlog of salary arrears owed workers, however, governance has become epileptic in most states, as the states grapple with paucity of funds.
In the private sector, companies are having a field day exploiting helpless workers, who have no alternative, but to cope with their employers’ slave labour tendencies.
Some states have abolished free education, as infrastructure in schools deteriorate daily, with children increasingly developing dislike for education.
Interestingly, concerned Nigerians are already promoting devaluation of the Naira, as a way to accommodate the economic reality of the present times.
The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has ceaselessly lamented the ”unfair treatment of Nigerian workers” and the unrealistic minimum wage that has made workers ”to live in penury and suffer untold hardships”.
”On average virtually all aspect of Nigeria’s infrastructure are in deplorable condition. The country is characterized by bad road networks, constant power outage, lack of security, inadequate water supply, unacceptable health facilities and declining education system, failing communication networks and unstable economic growth”, the NLC noted.
Nigerians drift from one day to the other, unsure of what lies ahead.
For the Democratic Socialist Movement, President Muhammadu Buhari ”was voted to power, because he is seen not to be corrupt like other pro-capitalist politicians and that he would fight corruption.
”The overwhelming mass of the people have the mistaken belief, that corruption is the sole reason for Nigeria’s lack of infrastructure or development, with its attendant backwardness. The reality is that, we are where we are, because the capitalist system engenders massive exploitation, lack of transparency, secrecy in management of funds and monstrous bureaucracy and these are what makes corruption to thrive. But fundamentally, the lack of Democracy in the management of public funds sustains corruption, as a tiny clique of privileged capitalist politicians and bureaucrats loot big, leaving many in constant state of want, misery and poverty”, the Movement stated.
Indeed, gloomy faces of the people, abandoned projects and elusive government officials characterize a sizable number of states in the Federal Republic, as officials express impotent hopes of better days ahead.