It appears there is no limit to the odium Nigerians would endure in the hands of President Ahmed Tinubu and his APC co-travelers, because just when the government seems to have hit rock bottom in governance capacity, it somehow manages to find a further depth in ignominy. In a move widely seen as an attempt to placate an increasingly restless populace, Nigerian legislators announced a 50% salary cut for six months to help government navigate the turbulent waters of the #EndBadGovernance protests. The insensitivity is simply mind-boggling and inexcusable. For lawmakers who earn so much, for doing so little, the ridiculous six-month 50% salary cut is pathetic, disgraceful and devoid of any perfunctory exaggeration. By this singular act of civic callousness, dancing in mockery as the nation totters on the brink of implosion, the lawmakers advertised a certain hollowness in character that dragged the nation down to a hitherto unprecedented low in ethical degeneration. This dereliction of duty is unacceptable from an institution to whom much has been given; and from which much is expected. Nigerians may have borne the legislative insult with equanimity, but let the “Legis-looters” not be in any doubt that, the nation has been mightily insulted.
Last July, the House of Representatives resolved to support the federal government with N648 million for six months by cutting down their salaries by 50% to support food sufficiency across the country and to address the high cost of food. While some will dismiss the act as simply bizarre, desultory and even comical, the brazenness, callousness and audacity of the act, is naked provocation and a bad joke taken too far. A majority of Nigerians with a conscience have been left to wonder how the legislative arm of their government can be so imprudent. By their perfunctory action, the lawmakers impoverished the sobriety and dignity of the legislative branch of government in ways that ridiculed not only the House members, but the entire country, and betrays a lack of political sophistication on the part of lawmakers.
To begin with, the decision to reduce salaries by 50% for just six months is nonsensical and laughable in its insignificance. The Nigerian legislature is notorious for its exorbitant pay packages, which include not just salaries but a host of allowances, benefits, and perks that cumulatively rank them among the highest-paid lawmakers in the world. A temporary reduction in their base salary barely scratches the surface of their overall earnings and does little to alter the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by most legislators. Moreover, the timing and duration of this salary cut raise serious questions about the sincerity of the gesture. Six months is a fleeting period in the context of Nigeria’s long-standing issues, and such a short-term sacrifice suggests that the lawmakers are more interested in optics than in real change. The salary cut is not a solution to the deep-seated problems of bad governance that the protests seek to address; it is a mere band-aid on a festering wound that requires far more than superficial measures to heal.
The protests, sparked by years of systemic corruption, police brutality, and a deep-seated frustration with the status quo, have shaken the very foundations of Nigeria’s political landscape. However, the decision by legislators to halve their salaries, albeit temporarily, is a hollow gesture that does little to address the root causes of the protests and everything to perpetuate the government’s failure to engage in meaningful reforms. Certainly, no modicum of morality or decorum supports this reckless display of insensitivity, but some pertinent points need to be made. One is that the quality of leadership in Nigeria has been exposed, in spectacular fashion, to the whole world. Without equivocation, the absence of stately comportment by persons who, by authority and common trust are saddled with the responsibility of running the nation’s affairs has rendered the country a fertile ground for breeding the improbable. For, after all is considered, the national assembly, is a call to national duty and only the ready, willing, and able who have the gumption, prudence and sagacity deserve it. Elected officials should not convert their public offices into a platform to advertise their profligacy and embroil the country in governance anomie. This ridiculous salary cut is a telling sign of a weak governance culture that does no good to the country’s image. It is another provocative insult Nigerians can do without.
Nigerian legislators likely intended for the salary cut to be seen as a demonstration of their willingness to share in the sacrifices they are asking the Nigerian people to make. However, this symbolism is not only misplaced but also misleading. By focusing on their own temporary loss of income, the legislators divert attention away from the systemic changes that are desperately needed to address the grievances of the protesters. The #EndBadGovernance protests is not about money; it is about accountability, justice, and the demand for a government that truly serves its people. The protesters are calling for an end to police brutality, corruption, and the gross mismanagement of resources that have left millions of Nigerians in poverty while a select few continue to amass wealth at the nation’s expense. In this context, the legislators’ salary cut is an irrelevant distraction; a move designed to give the appearance of solidarity without actually addressing the issues at hand.
The most glaring problem with the salary cut is that it does nothing to address the core issues raised by the protests. For years, Nigerians have been demanding reforms to reduce the high costs of governance but successive governments have promised and consistently failed to deliver on the promises. The protests are a manifestation of widespread disillusionment with a political system that is corrupt, out of touch, and indifferent to the suffering of ordinary citizens. Rather than seize the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and implement substantial reforms, the Nigerian legislators have chosen to offer a token measure of appeasement that will do nothing to alleviate the anger and frustration of the populace. What Nigerians want is not a temporary salary cut, but a commitment to long-term change—a commitment to addressing the root causes of corruption, inefficiency, and the gross inequality that has plagued the country for decades.
If Nigerian legislators are truly serious about addressing the concerns of the #EndBadGovernance protesters, they must go beyond symbolic gestures and take concrete actions to reform the political system. This includes implementing measures to increase transparency and accountability, reduce the excessive privileges and perks enjoyed by public officials, and ensure public resources are used for the benefit of all Nigerians, not just a privileged few. In addition, Nigerian legislators must address the systemic corruption that has crippled the country’s development for far too long. This means not only cracking down on corrupt practices within the government but also reforming the laws and institutions that allow corruption to flourish. This includes strengthening anti-corruption agencies, ensuring they are independent, and holding public officials accountable, regardless of their position or status.
The Nigerian government’s response to the #EndBadGovernance protests will determine the country’s future. The decision by Nigerian legislators to take a 50% salary cut for six months is a hollow gesture that does little to address the root causes of the protests. It is a symbolic move that fails to engage with the real issues of corruption, police brutality, and bad governance that have brought Nigerians to the streets in protest. If the government is serious about addressing the concerns of the protesters and restoring trust in its leadership, it must go beyond superficial gestures and implement real reforms. The Nigerian people have made it clear they will no longer accept business as usual. They are demanding real change, and it is the responsibility of President Tinubu to deliver on that demand. The time for empty gestures is over; it is time for Nigerian legislators to take meaningful action and demonstrate they are truly committed to reducing the cost of governance. The future of Nigeria depends on it.
