Nigerians may have expected a quick turnaround with the announcement of the new 70,000 Naira minimum wage by the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
Little did they know that it was merely the beginning of another version of ‘Shege’, as described by many Nigerians.
Make no mistake, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had fought a good fight, or perhaps, so they thought.
Their historic protest on June 3, 2024, which had the entire country on lockdown on its first day was supposed to be a shield for the union and by extension, Nigerian workers.
Once again, Nigerians were willing to bear whatever pain to bend the Federal Government.
The ₦250,000 demanded by the NLC at the time was indeed worth fighting for, and trust Nigerians, they were willing to fight with the last drop of their blood.
A Game Of Chess
However, within a twinkle of an eye, like a game of chess, everything changed.
As usual, the government deployed its normal trick; negotiation.
If only the union had listened to Nigerians who had immediately taken to the internet to warn them to ignore the call for negotiations and continue with the strike.
These Nigerians believed that with the strike, which affected everyone in the country, including politicians, the government would have no choice but to yield.
But guess what?
The NLC in its own wisdom honoured the invitation, and we mean that same night, in the heat of the strike.
Or perhaps, the whole thing was designed.
Yes, many Nigerians were forced to think towards this direction.
You see, on that fateful day, barely hours into the meeting, NLC president, Joe Ajaero, was captured shinning his ‘36’ while signing an agreement with the Federal Government, an agreement that would later become Nigerians’ worst nightmare.
New Minimum Wage
They endorsed a new minimum wage of above 60,000 Naira.
Even a baby can not sign such an agreement. Many thought the NLC must have taken brown envelopes and sold out the Nigerian workforce.
In fact, that was what many Nigerians said.
Their reason was simple.
First, there have been back-and-forth negotiations with the government.
The government’s attitude of pricing the minimum wage like ‘crayfish’ in the market proved to the people that the agreement was nothing but a mistake.
“Dem don loose guard”, many Nigerians said.
You see, after four good years of paying ₦30,000 as minimum wage, the Nigerian government deemed it fit to add ₦18,000 to the minimum wage to make it ₦48,000.
Yes, that was the government’s first offer.
The 48,000 naira offer received outright rejection from the Organised Labour.
The federal government said it would add ₦6,000 to the wage to make it ₦54,000.
The haggling spirit in Nigerians, apparently, at play.
The Negotiations
Another meeting was called and union members once again turned up with high hopes only for the government to offer to add another ₦6,000 to the wage to make it ₦60,000.
That was when it became clear to the unions, as well as Nigerians, that the government does not rate them at all.
We cannot begin to imagine the look on the faces of Nigerians when the union called off the strike based on a new offer that was above 60,000 Naira.
At this time, iBrandtv.com had predicted that the Tinubu government had check-mated the NLC.
Perhaps it was not clear then.
It was not until the Federal Government announced a new minimum wage of ₦70,000 that Nigerians realised that they were in for a long ride.
As at the time of this announcement, a bag of rice in Nigeria was above 80,000 Naira.
Surprisingly, many Nigerians hailed Tinubu and the Federal Government for this great feat.
To date, many supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are subjects of ridicule as a result of what Nigerians are now facing.
Well, one cannot entirely blame them.
Perhaps, they also did not expect things to turn out the way they are now.
Who would ever believe that Nigerians would find it difficult to afford petrol, despite having a functioning refinery?
Or that Nigerians would find it extremely hard to feed, despite its booming agricultural products.
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Trust us, no Nigerian would have ever dreamt of earning 70,000 Naira minimum wage at a time when a dollar is exchanged for above 1,600 Naira.
No Going Back
While Nigerians are already feeling the immediate effects of all these things.
The said 70,000 is yet to be paid.
What a country?
Are you also aware that as the value of the Naira drops, so is the value of this 70,000 Naira.
Also, the payment time for this new wage will be around May or June of next year.
Remember that government bureaucracy will affect the process.
It will also have to go through stages and stages of preparations and approvals.
By the time this new minimum wage will get to Nigerians, it may be of no value.
The prices of everything in the country are increasing.
From food, transportation, electricity, everything.
In fact, there is a plan to increase the electricity bill again in October.
Too late, the NLC had already signed an agreement with the government.
So you see, there is no going back.
Should the NLC shut down the nation again in another strike?
Will Nigerians see them as being serious this time?
