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Etanabene’s huge letter concerning hunger protest – Part 1

By Tony Afejuku
09 August 2024   |   3:55 am
The End Hunger Protest which began last Thursday, August 1, 2024 elicited several feelings, sensations, reactions and thoughts from different sources.
Etanabene

The End Hunger Protest which began last Thursday, August 1, 2024 elicited several feelings, sensations, reactions and thoughts from different sources. The first three days of the protests, as I monitored them, were full of vibes, vims and vigour of hilarious displays and all-what-not by protesters even in the respective faces of the diverse pangs of hunger and stress upon stress as they did what they did and said what they said. Quotable quotes that were quotable quotes were well born. This column shall bring some of them for the columnist’s readers to devour and think about and laugh over, if need be, as time comes and goes and comes and goes, like Abiku, in its historical and mythical characteristics and records. For now, they are being paused as I want you to give serious thought to a letter at my disposal on the subject of the protest. Honourable Ben Etanabene representing Sapele, Okpe and Uvwie constituencies of Delta State in the House of Reps authored his lengthy thoughts which I found captivatingly captivating, and which I am sharing with you.

Now that the protest has commenced in the last 24 hours, I cannot stay quiet as a member of the National Assembly. I am making my views known publicly with the intention of finding solutions, both immediate and long-term solutions.

I cannot claim to have all the solutions, but I must express my views for the records. This is not time to play politics, and I am not playing politics. I’m a Nigerian first and foremost before any party consideration. This is not about Labour Party, APC and PDP (my party).

Whatever our party affiliations, we will remain Nigerians permanently. At the end of the day all these parties will fade away or transmute into oblivion or we will have present members of the different parties crisscrossing to any of the parties of their choice at the slightest opportunity.

It is important that I should also state that my views are being stated not because I’m a present member of the National Assembly. This is no big deal. Any fool can become its member. But not any fool can become a lawyer, doctor, engineer, teacher, architect, accountant, welder, diver, trader, businessman/woman, or a Professor, the biggest one, etc. These all are the Honourables, they are the Distinguished. They are the Excellencies. Anybody, any fool can find “funny funds” and contest elections and win. My apologies to the bad electoral process. So, I’m not writing as a member of H of R but as Ben Etanabene.

Nothing has changed in my life. My life style remains the same. I’m not taller than I was. I’m not richer than I was. It’s all of us, including you that are calling me Honourable, and give me a seat to sit on even when I come late to a function. You put me in the front of the church for recognition. You vacate your seat for me, because this is the Honourable, etc. etc.! No! No! Too, too wrong.

We create people as if they are from another planet. An honourable person is one who does honourable things. Certainly, I don’t qualify to be so recognised. The Distinguished are those who do distinguished things. Things that distinguish them. Those we give the nomenclature today don’t deserve it. Again, I don’t want to leave this world now. But I fear not to leave.

I was born in Urban Area in Sapele in the days when boys were men. I live in the middle of Ekpan in Uvwie. These are tough places. That’s my background. I cannot fear violence not to say what I believe in. Enough of the bushing around.

On the protest, my take is both that of good and bad. It was peaceful in accordance with the provisions of the constitution in some places. But in some other places, especially the North, it’s not what the constitution envisaged.

There was violence, optimum violence. My heart goes to those who suffered death and injuries. I had also believed that if the protest went haywire, I would blame the government for not managing the situation wisely and professionally. The responsibilities of management are not only when there’s peace, but also when there are crises and war. The true test of management is seen at such times. Ask the successful business men. They will tell you how they have battled difficult moments.

That’s what is expected of good managers. In 24 hours, I saw the trend to know what should be done immediately; if not, if the protest continued in the form in which I saw it, the music would change drastically. “God forbid we witness this!” I said to myself. The Northern part of the country was where I saw real crises originating from. But let me quickly offer my suggestions on how the protest and the situation it has generated can be managed properly now. Now! and now!!!

Slash allowances by half of all national assembly members, ministers, directors-general, presidency officials, including Mr. President and the Vice President. All governors should scrap security allowances, etc. Ditto for state assembly members and local government chairmen. In fact, all political appointees should be affected.

All SUVs bought for the political class, including National Assembly members, ministers, directors-general, etc. should be returned immediately and sold to raise funds. (In truth, 80 million naira each as against 160 million naira each was the money for SUV for each member. If anybody wants to keep his or her own, there should be an evaluation (less one year of usage) and the person should return the present value.

Here let me salute the courage of the Deputy Speaker and Speaker when they advocated for half of the salaries of members to now be their new salaries. The same should apply to the President and all ministers and DGs. It is time for sacrifice from everybody. Let’s tell Nigerians the truth in all things and ways.

I receive less than one million naira yearly for house rent, yet I can’t find a modest house in Abuja that is not above ten million naira yearly. Let’s look boldly at the eyes of our constituents, and tell them the reality on the ground.

We must be bold to reject what we can’t do for them because funds are not there to meet their demands. I cannot be accumulating debts because of politics. When the next election comes, they have the choice to vote for thieves.

Compress all humanitarian ministries and departments into one ministry. Scrap all irrelevant ministries and departments and merge them. Reduce the retinue of special advisers. The convoys of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, governors, and ministers should be confined to four vehicles each: one for the, two for security men, and the fourth one for medical staff and press people.

Mr. President should relinquish the petroleum minister portfolio and direct all refineries to produce petrol in one month or sack all workers there. There is no need to keep on paying them salaries and allowances, etc. when there is no production. (But let acknowledge here that the workers can produce if the necessary tools to do so are provided them. The government is the problem, not the workers.)

It is time to move for one legislative house: Senate or House of Reps. But if the two are to be retained, then they should mandatorily be on part-time basis.

The more the sittings, the more allowances the members should have. Those who don’t participate should not be paid a kobo. This will motivate them to participate in all the matters and affairs of the assembly.

Constituency projects should be scrapped for members. The wahala is too much. But the yearly budget must have the input of 360 and 109 Senators and Representatives who will bring from their constituencies what is required.

Records will show that during retreat for Senators and Representatives, before inauguration at ICC, after the DG of Budget Planning had delivered his paper, yours truly Ben Etanabene spoke on this. My contention and conviction then are still valid today.

Be it known openly that the three major ethnic groups are the ones always making the budgets, ditto the minority tribes. No member of any ethnic minority is on the budget decision planners/makers.

There is no Urhobo there. The minorities are not permanent secretaries, directors or top government functionaries. It is unfair.

Nothing, I repeat nothing can be pointed out as federal presence in my Urhobo and, and Delta State as a whole.

To be continued.

Afejuku can be reached via 08055213059.

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