Good governance is cure for opposition. Good governance is not an abstract term. One can feel, see, touch, breath and measure good governance. When you drive on a well paved road, attend a working hospital with courteous medical staff, get decent and dignified treatment or attention from law enforcement agencies, get justice from the Courts that is not delayed, that is good governance in action, likewise, when workers are paid a living wage, not take-home pays that are not enough to take them home, that is good governance in action.
I therefore make bold to salute Governor Uzodinma for announcing the recent minimum wage increase across board for Imo workers. I know what that means to both the earning power and morale of workers. I was privileged to have Chaired the Committee that recommended the 15 percent salary increase for Imo workers during the 2007 to 2011 epoch which His Excellency Governor Ohakim graciously accepted and implemented. This latest salary increase pronouncement by Governor Uzodinma dramatizes the ecclesiastical preachment that a worker truly deserves his wages. It is also heartwarming that the announcement was coupled with a package to pay new and arrears of pensions and gratuities. Only those who have not been exposed to the civil and public service ecosystem will argue about paying living wages or paying pension and gratuity benefits as and when due. In fact it is a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment to owe workers their earned salaries, pensions and gratuities. It is an act of torture and a crime against humanity to pay workers pittances in the guise of salaries or wages.
This singular pronouncement on wage increase in Imo State has put Imo State in good stead in the national space. Let other State Governors take a cue. It is reasonable to do so. Granted that opposition members may not be happy about this development, however, as always said, you can be in opposition without being opposed to all good things. Opposition is not about bows, arrows and cudgels. But opposition is the beauty of democracy.
Leadership is a burden that must be borne with candour and equanimity. Leaders must tolerate opposition. Condemnable line of rash and uncivilized behaviour is not unexpected from sore quarters. The job of responsive and responsible leadership is to ignore irritations and concentrate service delivery to the people. The primary purpose of government remains the welfare and security of the people. These are the two crucial indices on which the opposition should hold the government in power accountable. However, in Nigeria, opposition is fast losing its allure of providing constructive alternatives. Opposition seems to have settled for the sad preoccupation of toxicity, unjust abuses, maliciously denigration and heaping of wanton insults on people in leadership. Opposition is not exhibition of shameful, disgusting, uncouth, yobbish or plebeian behaviours. It is not suffering from verbal diarrhea. Granted that loss of power can be painful as you cannot beat a child and expect him or her not to cry but we think that wailing can and should be done with dignity.
Destructive opposition in lieu of constructive opposition is outward manifestation of lack of ideas and gravitas. I therefore commend Governor for that masterstroke and entreat him to do more in other areas. Workers constitute the informal but formidable opposition. Once you hurt their interest, they must oppose you both vocally and constructively including sabotaging the bureaucracy. On the flip side, once you get them on your side, they may not sing your praises like political sycophants but they will not oppose you. This is unlike the formal opposition made up of partisan interveners whose job is to oppose even when there is nothing to oppose.
Imo workers eagerly look forward to “eye marking or hand marking” the new pay package even as they have gleefully ear marked it. Biko gwazie ndi yard unu inugo inugo.
A new normal is possible!
Prof Obiaraeri, N. O.
