Well now, my friend, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just affixed his name to a measure that would cause royalty to turn green. The good Interior Minister made the announcement at what they call a "Ministerial Retreat" in Abuja, sounding proud as a peacock.
What's this all about, you ask? Indeed, it's about providing that certain government officials will never stop collecting their complete wages until the Lord calls them home. But heed this observation - this golden ticket ain't for ordinary civil servants.Not by a long shot! This extraordinary benefit is limited to those fortunate souls who retire at the lofty ranks of the uppermost tiers of authority in agencies under the Interior Ministry's umbrella.
The official reason – and I relay this without a wink – is to guarantee these eminent persons maintain their dignity. Imagine that! As if a high-ranking official with years of access to power would be found wanting.
This curious policy comes alongside other changes including clearing a pile of over 50,000 pending promotions and founding what they're calling a "world-class Fire Academy" to compare with the one in Arizona. Progress marches on, or so they assert.
I've seen many a government devise methods to compensate their ranks, but this perpetual payment plan stands apart. Any thinking person would ask: Why not extend such liberality to all public servants? Even more appropriately, to the common citizens whose taxes fund these benefits?
The disparity with other civil workers remains clear as crystal. Countless ex-policemen still bide their time for pensions that amount to a pittance.
As I conclude this account, I must circle back to our theme: the lifetime compensation of Nigeria's senior officers. This August 2025 decision tells us volumes about the priorities of those who rule. And that, dear reader, is a reality worth pondering long after you've concluded this article.
