Despite the fact that Nigerians have continued to find themselves in a situation where the government cares less about the welfare of its citizens, particularly state government workers, our thinking should not be muddled by the desire for sinecure public service appointments.

Given the foregoing background, one may ask: Why are all these owed state workers mourning? Why are they too sluggish to decisively act? The government deprived them of their benefits, yet they still go to work in such a crestfallen condition.

I wonder why someone owed two months’ salary continue to do the same work with a cheerful mind, let alone five-six months arrears. It is difficult to understand.

Although the government has been less than humane or wicked to them, the state workers proved to be wicked to themselves: groaning at work without financial stature, feeding money, transportation, and other expenses.

Are these governors also owed? No! They are the monsters working against themselves. They should have downed tools before now. Going on strike now is senseless and not sagacious.

These weak state workers should have been shocked when Buhari got the evidence that the Federal Government has paid all the states’ allocation to the respective governors. Of course, this has a very dangerous implication, which they should have known. Buhari will not be sworn into office and they start expecting their salaries to be paid by his administration. No, it has been a settled deal between the Federal Government and state governors.

When Buhari confirmed the payment made by the Federal Government, one expected the workers to take to the street with placards, singing the song of protest and making it known to the world that they cannot continue to survive under a harsh and insensitive leadership.

Why didn’t they investigate where the monies were hanging? What has been the action of the workers’ union from when the government stopped paying them?

These are not good times for these government workers. But, to a large extent, they contributed to their agony.

•Mayowa Okekale, whose photo appears alongside this piece, is the Ibadan Correspondent of News Express.

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