Opinion: Stop Chasing Shadows — Demand Performance, Not Pay Cuts
By Sunday Oladapo
The recent debate comparing the salaries of Nigerian professors to those of members of parliament (MPs) is not only misplaced but also deeply flawed. It reflects our collective obsession with shadows rather than substance.
In the United Kingdom, a Member of Parliament can legitimately earn up to £500,000 annually when all allowances — from staff and constituency costs to travel and research — are added. A professor, on the other hand, earns around £90,000 a year. Yet, no British academic wastes time comparing pay slips with lawmakers. Why? Because they understand that the two professions have distinct job descriptions and serve different public functions.
If a Nigerian professor feels underpaid, nothing stops them from contesting for public office — just as Prof. Julius Ihonvbere did. Democracy does not restrict who can serve as an MP. The real issue is not how much MPs earn, but how well they perform.
Our lawmakers are constitutionally empowered to play an oversight role — to ensure accountability, prevent corruption, and protect public resources. If they effectively executed this duty, looting public funds would be nearly impossible. That’s where they have failed Nigerians, not in the size of their paychecks.
It’s also important to note that the claim that MPs in Nigeria earn up to ₦1 billion annually is exaggerated. Even when combined with staff and constituency allowances, no legislator comes close to that figure. Yet, we continue to channel our anger toward salaries instead of holding them accountable for their duties.
Across the world, the same pattern holds. In the United States, senators can earn as much as $5 million annually (including allowances), while professors earn around $150,000. In Ghana, MPs earn roughly ¢800,000 yearly, while professors make less than ¢91,000. Still, you don’t see Ghanaian lecturers comparing themselves to politicians.
Different roles attract different compensation structures. That’s how functional societies operate.
Instead of indulging in petty comparisons, Nigerians should begin to demand results. Let’s insist that our lawmakers justify their pay by performing the duties for which they were elected — oversight, lawmaking, and representation.
Until we shift focus from envy to accountability, we’ll keep missing the point. As the saying goes, common sense should be common — but those without it must strive to find it.
Sunday Oladapo is a Public Affairs Commentator, writes from Abuja
