It’s an oxymoronic feature of chronically poor countries that the politicians who govern them are often their highest paid professionals. Nowhere is this more the case than in Nigeria.
Public shaming forced rich corporations in America to return millions from this country’s Covid-19 Payment Protection Program. Remarkably, the same forced rich politicians in Nigeria to forego 50 percent of their salaries to help that country’s fight against Covid-19.
Nigeria’s senators have donated 50 per cent of their salary each to support efforts at combating the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Daily Trust had earlier reported that the federal lawmakers were under pressure to donate their salaries for the fight against coronavirus after ministers had donated 50 per cent of their March 2020 salaries.
(AllAfrica, March 31, 2020)
But, lest you think they’ll be enduring a major sacrifice, bear this extraordinary juxtaposition between Nigerian politicians and their former colonial masters in mind:
Nigerian legislators, among the world’s top paid, receive annual salaries of between $150,000 to $190,000 per annum depending on exchange rates. At current exchange rates Nigerian lawmakers, would earn around $160,000 – more than British MPs who make around $105,000 according to data from The Economist.
In fact, until plunging oil prices started putting pressure on the Nigerian naira earlier this year, the Nigerian lawmakers were the second highest paid lawmakers in the world.
(Quartz Africa, June 4, 2015)
In other words, Nigerian politicians have inflated their salaries so much that, even after being shamed into taking this temporary pay cut, they will still be making many times more than the average Nigerian.
As for making so much more than British MPs, I’ve heard of besting your betters. But this puts a rather perverse twist on that presumption, no?
Meanwhile, as he does so often, my brother The Bishop saw through the politics to raise this moral question:
- Given that political decisions caused tens of millions of Americans to lose their jobs, why aren’t American politicians taking a pay cut too — if only to show a little shared sacrifice?
And the church said, Amen!
Except that, with all due respect to this coronavirus, the virus of Trumpism caused American politicians to develop herd immunity against public shaming years ago. Therefore, I fear Hell will freeze over before those hypocritical SOBs take a pay cut … for any reason. (Excuse my French, Bishop.)
Related commentaries:
The Bishop…
coronavirus thread…
Legacy Note: With over 5,600 posts spanning 20 years, I am easily the most prolific blogger on the most eclectic array of topics on the web. That makes The iPINIONS Journal an unparalleled archive of informed political and cultural commentary. Visit the ARCHIVES section in the sidebar or search by topic. You won’t find a more consistent, independent voice on world affairs.