…I hold the opinion that Nigeria political office holders do not deserve any award for the services they were elected or appointed to do. – If they serve their community well, let the award and honorary recognition be limited within their jurisdiction of office
I was at a honor awards party and virtually all awardees were either a governor, senators, government agents both present and pasts, then good enough not even any of them was in attendance, either the ‘honor plaque’ was received on their behalf by a Personal Assistants or an accomplice – yes! An accomplice
Even General Yusuf Buratai, Nigeria Chief of Army Staff was awarded and praised to highest heaven for securing peace in the entire hostile Northern region including Southern Kaduna – although in his absence also, his award was applauded by the dignitaries, the hangers-on and the painted faces at the event center.
The gathering was a mix of the political elites, wannabee politicians, their admirers and of course a lot of painted faces and wig wearing young women, stern looking security operatives adorn every corner of the event center as if guarding warlords and expensive state rogues.
At each citation, the background profile will reel out oversea education laurels, membership of this and that association; represented the people while in government, served in this office at so, so and so capacity etc, Then the individual is called out to receive an award amidst ‘dignified’ hand clapping.
I took a roll call of all the awardees, about 90% government officials, governors, senators, members of House of Representatives, past and present while the rest 10% comprises of scanty selected business owners in the likes of Dangote, Innoson and sometimes one wild musician!
Apart from those oversea certificates of education or some kind of training for this and that government official, ability to be in government as governor, senator, members of house of representatives, a political appointee or even membership of a political party – nothing poses the stress for a honorary awards other than the man is in government, he holds a political office or he handles deals for the political office holders and controls a large vaults of cash and that was all – as much as the accomplishment could read.
Was any feat mentioned in the accomplishment of the award recipients that rubs off on his people, his community or even his society, unless it was omitted, nothing of such existed or a mere scanty sighting of 2% out of the 100% of the largesse and privileges such an individual enjoyed while in office, case in point; honoring General Yusuf Buratai (COAS) for his position on Nigeria’s security at such a time Nigeria’s security situation as you all know including those warming up for more awards to these characters is such a disturbing issue that calls for questioning.
Do you award the senator for passing a bill or for his presence at the National Assembly enjoying the privileges of office at the expense of hardworking taxpaying Nigerians or for doing the work he was elected by his people to do – you will be culpable on the day of reckoning.
I walked into the office of a certain governor and took a cursory glance at the four walls of his office; it was over-decorated with laurels, award plaques and trophies from virtually all corners of the society except from his people, the ones he governs, they lived in fear, cursing the man at every intervals as the state was listed as one of the least developed state in Nigeria and extremely disorganized with no functional amenity, not even a single traffic light in the entire capital city of the state, government staffs and pensioners are owed months of no payment running.
75% of basic infrastructure in the state were an eyesore yet the people lived in fear and awe of the man so much that if you’re badly pressed you could set up an organization and announce an award party for the governor and you will be highly compensated, however, you will be culpable on the day of reckoning – I felt guilty and ashamed for being part of this praise party – we were badly pressed too and needed some free money and now the shame sticks!
As much as it is commendable to recognize exemplary performance of men and women in service of all categories – I hold the opinion that Nigeria political office holders do not deserve any award for the services they were elected or appointed to do. – If they serve their community well, let the award and honorary recognition be limited within their jurisdiction of office. Let their community chose to honor them if they certainly have represented their office creditably. The community may choose to engage the media or any organization it deem fit to join in the party – if their community honored them, this is commendable because they are the direct recipient of whatsoever policies and largesse of office that the elected man or woman will bring into the community, the roads, schools, hospitals, you name it – it takes the man in the leadership as a representative of the people and his appointees in office to bring into existence these development and only the immediate recipients can attest if the individuals representing them in the state capitals and in Abuja at whatever capacity is worthy of any honor.
Let the military honor General Yusuf Buratai (COAS) for his leadership roles – they may chose to invite the Media to take records and the media as a private business entity is at liberty to honor such invitation but it does owe the public a responsibility to promote such honors or discourage such praise singing of government appointees vested with the serious task of government either political or civil at whatever category.
You do not call these men and women to honor when the community or constituency they represent has been so deprived of virtually any basic amenity even the ordinary small community school in their constituency lacks virtually everything, some elected representative even collect monies budgeted for development of their regions and waste it to gratify their insatiable greed; He wants to be and remain the governor, he wants to be the Senator, he wants to be the minister, he wants to be the Party Chairman, he wants to be the Ambassador, if permitted he wants to return and govern the state again despite all the rots and failures visible virtually at every corner including building decent open market for your people since you lack the capacity to promote industry and economic development.
These characters are either stuck in there at Abuja with frequent oversea trips and rarely visit their communities to see the sordid situation of his people, his state, his constituency, his local government area and when he does, he come with dozens of gun wielding policemen and soldiers – an ordinary fellow, all of a sudden become a menace to his own community by virtue of political office or by appointment by politicians and you go ahead and organize a honor party and decorate such an individual with plaques and trophies amidst fanfare – No! That should no longer be condoned by sane people
One vain man in his miserable wretched life spends the community / constituency / state money on 2020 model imported SUVs for himself and cronies without contributing even to indigenous industry or any basic amenity of such, he cahoots with prostitutes and pimps, careless oversea trips, mansions everywhere he may never live in till he dies like a fool, then some individuals and organizations turn around and call him up for a honorary awards.
I know at most cases it serve as a means of raising money for the business of the award party organizer, we been there and done that too, and I admit, it’s shameful and the guilt stuck – otherwise you will have to let the devil manage your conscience and damn the consequences of ignorance and failures.
Stop the honorary awards to these individuals! Would it be even honorable to recognize the efforts of hard working Nigerians like Doctors, Police Officers, industrialists, Gallant soldiers at the field of battle, Teachers, ordinary Nigerians for their exemplary lifestyles and hard work, for standing in the gap for the country in times of crisis virtually at all corners – Do not honor politicians and their accomplice!
The political elites were elected or appointed to work for the community and get paid, to represent your interest in government and get paid, in most cases with bloated wages for their time while enjoying extensive privileges of office, including sitting on heavy budgets allocated for development and the people’s welfare, Now your parents are owed pensions, your brothers and sisters are owed over 7 months salary, the hospitals lacks any equipment, doctors and teachers are owed for months for all their painstaking labours, your community is in a sorry environmental situation, basic amenities like roads, schools and public facilities are such a shame to look at, and at occasions this individual, as he pleases, chooses to do some patches of work not at all commensurate with the responsibility of office and position he was appointed or elected, and you turn around to decorate him with honors as best governor, best senator in Africa etc, you sing his praises, honor him and get some of your younger ones to fight and kill themselves for him, Your journalists turn around and write sensational praises for him, then you turn around whining and ranting on social media platforms, at beer parlours and in your bedroom at the lack of governance and disrespect to rule of law – are you not really stupid and dumb!
If you will have need for the money, Oh yea we sure have need for their money – let them act as sponsors to these award parties and find other ways to thank them for their kind gestures.
You want to build a better nation, stop all these applaud for the same people you castigate as failures!
