"I started practicing as a member of parliament at the age of 24 and I
entered the parliament at 27. Then, my pay was 840 Pounds per
annum.......". 840 pounds p/a!! In 1959? My grandfather, "His soul
rest in peace", I am very certain earned far less than that amount at
that time and they were not poor people, since he prides in self
service. So if Richard Akinjide got this huge amount of pay when he
was a member of parliament, why then is he complaining about it now?
He kind of gloats that he was there even before independence, which
means he is part of the foundation and the foundation they set was
cast in corruption.
Progressing, I would like to ref a portion of the article that says
".....He attributed the nagging problem the country has to lack of
good leadership noting that the problem became worse because those who
don't know are the ones governing those who know........"
and then his suggestion, "..... to check this ugly development, he
advised that all people should join politics so that bad people would
not continue to rule us...."
For this kind of suggestion to be coming from a man who was part of
the "foundation", that is if there was any foundation at all with
hindsight now, then it is very clear to me where our problem started
and it is "VERY WORRYING" as commented by Anunoby, Ogugua earlier on.
It is actually hilarious to realize that the man shot himself so many
times in the foot from different corners of his address and in my
opinion he actually made a confession that he certainly belongs to
that group of "THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW", who govern "THOSE WHO KNOW",
because to me that suggestion is dumb and he is government since he
was the "foundation". How can everybody in Nigeria become a politician
to be able to solve our problem? Unless of course it was a joke and
the press did not catch it (giving him the benefit of doubt). It is
more worrying to realize that he was delivering a risk analysis, "RISK
OF IMPLOSION". That goes a long way to tell you the quality of his
analysis.
Like earlier said by Anunobi, we need a radical change but the
question is "HOW?".
Sitting here writing this piece, I will not say I have any clear cut
solution but I certainly know that we all need to have a little more
faith in Nigeria because I reckon we are in the right path. I also
share Ikhide's grief, but would like to encourage him/herl not to give
up yet on Nigeria, even if we're stuck, we will find a way out. After
all, to show we are on the path of progress, the looting was exposed
and immediately acted on. Who would have dared open up this kind
looting by members of the NASS 3,4,5 years ago? Have their budget not
been cut by 45bn Naira? These are signs to show that things can still
be done right, its a gradual process. It may not happen in our
lifetime but we all need to keep faith, keep praying and doing our own
little bits in whatever capacity as we can and leave the rest to God.
God help Nigeria.
Chico
On Dec 16, 4:31 am, "Kolawole Adegbola" <okeba...@peoplepc.com> wrote:
> NASS members are looting treasury – Akinjide
> News Dec 15, 2010
>
> By Ola Ajayi
> IBADAN—FORMER Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), has condemned the take home pay of members of the National Assembly, describing it as looting of treasury.
>
> Chief Akinjide who spoke as a guest lecturer at the 3rd convocation lecture of the Lead City University, Ibadan yesterday, expressed regrets that he had never seen such outrageous allowances since he started practicing as a member of parliament since 1959.
>
> Lamenting that the salaries of our lawmakers were higher than that of American President, President Barak Obama, he stated that "what is happening at the National Assembly nowadays could be aptly described in two words— "treasury looting".
>
> The legal luminary who spoke on the topic, "the risk of Implosion "explained further that during his own time, they were there for public service and not for poverty alleviation as we have today.
>
> He said: "I became a member of parliament in December 12, 1959 and I was there during the independence and after independence. I have never seen anything like what is going on today."
>
> What is going on at the national Assembly can be summarized in two words: treasury looting.". When I entered the Parliament in 1959. I started practicing as a member of parliament at the age of 24 and I entered the parliament at 27. Then, my pay was 840 Pounds per annum.
>
> There was no car; there was no house. We only had free tea and coffee whenever Parliament was meeting".
>
> To him, "the revelation by the CBN governor is unbelievable. We are now subject of ridicule all over the world. I have been to the Parliament of several countries like Israel, Japan, London and there is nothing like that. It is alarming; it is worrying. You go there for public service not for poverty alleviation.
>
> The honour then was being a member of Parliament."
>
> He said that we don't really have a nation but a country adding that the problem we are encountering to day was the handiwork of the colonialists.
>
> Akinjide added that until we change the structure made by Lord Lugard, the country may not get its bearing forever. "What we have today is a country and not a nation and until we have a nation we cannot have any progress., he stated.
>
> He attributed the nagging problem the country has to lack of good leadership noting that the problem became worse because those who don't know are the ones governing those who know.
>
> Due to bad leadership, he reasoned that our economy is regressing. He asked that people should go to various Houses of Assembly and look at the quality of those legislating for the states. to check this ugly development, he advised that all people should join politics so that bad people would not continue to rule us.
>
> Kolawole Adegbola
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