ANGRY NIGERIANS VERSUS LAW MAKERS

Since my last week's column entitled: BEFORE THE PEOPLE'S REVOLT, my lines have been jammed by angry Nigerians expressing outrage at the insensitivity of our federal law makers and other government officials who seem to believe that being in public office means an invitation to the national treasury.

While the people they purportedly lead are going through excruciating times, their leaders at every level of governance are having a swell time, savouring the dividends of democracy.  Daily, the news emanating from the Abuja dome of the National Assembly are rotten tales of alleged profligacy, conspicuous consumption, inflation of contracts, over-invoicing and diversion of public funds, and squabbles over sharing formula with aggrieved legislators complaining about how they have been short-changed by their leadership.

In other climes, when parliamentarians engage in fisticuffs, it's essentially over support or opposition to some laws which they believe would be beneficial or inimical to the well-being of the generality of the people, but in our dear country, when you find on national television otherwise respectable law makers engaging in throwing of chairs and punching their colleagues, don't bother to ask what's going on. It's certainly a fight over money. No more, no less.  Law-making, like most government jobs, in this part of the world is an avenue for personal IGR.  Many Nigerians contest elections with an eye for the treasury, many go into public office with the hope that that's where their bread will be buttered. That's why you hardly find public officials resigning from their jobs on principle or fundamental disagreement with the establishment. Government in this part is always come-and-chop business.

But, it won't be forever. Nigerians are getting  pissed with   the despicable conduct of their elected officials and sooner than you think, something would snap. And nothing would stop the movement of the people against larceny, looting and the sheer brigandage of government officials, which has made us global laughing stock and our people the scum of the earth.