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Indeed and In-Truth -A WORKER'S DAY

HAPPY WORKERS DAY TO THE NIGERIAN WORKERS

Today, I raise my cup, to the workers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:
Today I salute the Men, Women, young adults and even shamefully under-aged children, who work, claw and break sweat just to earn a decent wage and make a honest living
Today, I duff my hat to those Generals up and about this nation (from Ketu to Kuru and from Ikeja to Lokoja) Men and women who have dedicate themselves to honest efforts and righteous ventures- those who have chosen to reap only that which was sown and to earn only what they are duly due
Today, I choose to recognise their efforts, I choose to celebrate their doggedness and I am determined to raise high these special classes of people whose rewards until now have been nothing but scorn, shame and ill-repute

To start with, Nigeria is unlike any nation of the world
With natural resources that rivals many rich nations like American and human capital that is literarily unimaginable in depth and promise, it is therefore always a shock to think about the troubles of the Nigerian worker

With salaries that cannot possible feed them, talk less of support their other needs
The average Nigerian worker is the perfect example of a moving miracle
Clothes to buy, home to raise, Children to parent and with many other related dependant
The Nigerian worked is suckered to death from the many demands placed upon Him or Her for survival

To work for salaries is the first challenge
To rise when the Sun is still asleep just so they can beat traffic, or to deprive their children the benefits of parenthood just because of take home pay is one of the harshest realities of Modern day Nigeria
Yet this lot would not complain or down tools
Without the right equipment, and in the most unpleasant of environments, these warriors continue to thrive
Their effort though unstructured-yet their result remained un-punctured
They toiled, dug dip and continue in the hum-drum of making the nation better and their families sleep easier
To think what the average Nigeria employee feels is impossible, as it can only be better imagine to comprehend its enormity

The bigger challenge is for the Entrepreneur
Giants with monstrous heart, who despite the absence of nearly every social infrastructure and cushion decides to fly without wings
Daily, Men and women across every corner of this country start small enterprises. They register the business and are sooner than later left to themselves for survival. No tax breaks. No Start-up loans. No government grants
Easy credits they can get, while reasonable rents are nonexistent and to employ even competent hands is near impossible as education continues to fail the Nigerian economy
Do they pack up and leave?
Nope!
They dig even dipper, try even harder and continue to record heavenly profit in a terrain where even Angels and the world’s brightest minds shudder to thread

Today, I acknowledge your efforts, all you who work in Nigeria
Today I recognise all your contributions to this economy in way that is improving our GDP and PPP
Today I commend all your labour, your hardwork, countless partnership and many relationships that is deepening this economy beyond Crude Oil and Telecommunications
I know those salaries you earn are miserly and they cannot support you,
I agree your profits are minisicle and they cannot sustain you
I believe thing can improve better to make your life easier
I am sure Government can make policies, create infrastructures and encourage you in way that can beautify your existence

But while I can’t promise to do all this,
While I can’t just swoosh my rod and make all your pains go away,
While I can’t in one sentence Right all the wrongs and make everything colourful
I can do this bit at least…

I can Praise, Pose and Pray: (Your voice should be deep and forceful here!!!)

So now I Praise:
I praise your efforts, your doggedness and unrelenting spirit
I praise all the efforts when the salaries were not enough-how you came to work with your bank statements in red, how you kept you sanity when you were mired in debts and how you never ran off, committed suicide or caved in when the tides of life swam in
I praise you doggedness, as you never stopped working when there was no transport to convey you, how you swam and wade through the tide when the streets were flooded to stand still and even how you trekked your shoes into holes when petrol prices literarily went through the roof
I praise your unrelenting spirit. The never-give-up attitude that keeps you getting up daily even when life knocks you down with wrong policies, personal tragedies or even global disasters like the cataclysmic Global meltdown
Indeed, Nigerian worker, you are worthy of my praise

Again Today, I Pose:
I pose you a challenge to never let in or give up
I challenge you to raise your bar higher to pursue excellence and decide to never have a better yesterday
I challenge you the Nigerian Worker to work like the business was yours, resume on time, and close longer that you were paid for
Make sure your boss, customer or whoever you are accountable to get much more than they are paying you for
Let your contribution be dignifying in content and exceptional in presentation
And for the entrepreneur, be thou discouraged NOT
Offer services that are second to none, create product with global relevance
Let it be said of you that you gave your best ALWAYS
And even if your boss, the government, Economy or even customer may not be able or willing to reward your labour, REST ASSURED that there is always a recompense for excellence

And finally Today I pray:
That your strength will not abate
I pray for you Nigerian worker, that as you continue to purse your just cause with righteous intentions and positive mentality,
I pray the heaven will reward your efforts and that your salaries, income and profits would be guided by grace enough to satisfy you
I pray your back will not break under this load, and where and when you need help, it will arrive
To the Nigerian worker, my prayer for you is this Month of May is that may the future be Better, Brighter and more Beautiful than your past and present combined

Happy workers day to us all

@Basamta