Nigerians have expressed surprise as the Dean Emeritus at the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Joy Ezeilo (SAN), revealed that she would need her entire salaries of five months to be able to book a round-trip airfare to go watch the Nigeria vs. Côte d’Ivoire encounter at the ongoing 2023 AFCON on Sunday.
The former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking had unwittingly revealed her monthly pay via her verified X [formerly Twitter] handle @NgoziEzeilo on Saturday [today], when she tweeted that it would cost her a whopping N2,183,000.00 (two million, one hundred and eighty-three thousand Naira) to book a roundtrip to and from the French-speaking West African country.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria had tweeted:
“I am dreaming of watching AFCON 2024 live, and I enquired about flights to Abidjan to watch our Super Eagles play in the finals. I believed that Ivory Coast [officially the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire] being so close (an hour and 35 minutes) wouldn’t cost me too much.
“However, my travel agent of over twenty years sent me a price quotation of N2,183,000.00 (two million, one hundred and eighty-three thousand Naira), which was a huge shock.
“I did the math and realized I would need to save my five months’ salary as a Professor of Law on the last professional step to buy one return ticket to a West African country. This is a sad reflection of our current economic realities.”
The tweet has generated over 500 reactions and endless retweets among X followers. See some of the reactions:
It it will take you 5 months to afford the return ticket, means as a professor, you currently earn around N436,600 which in dollar terms is around $297 pcm.
If this is what we pay the best of the best in our society for training and research. I have no words!
Sigh!
— Akíntúndé Babátúndé (@olorunwababs) February 10, 2024
You nailed it my Prof.
As a Lecturer II, I still take public bus to the office. The little will earn goes for further studies and publications… What a profession!But Prof., that your last paragraph, hahahahahaha……. Na serious public announcement…
— Iyinta Ijesha (@topade9) February 10, 2024
This narrative accurately portrays the plight of Nigerian lecturers. While politicians enrich themselves with excessively inflated and stolen funds, those dedicated to educating young Nigerians are met with contempt and dehumanisation. This situation is profoundly regrettable.
— Victor Wolemonwu (@DrVic_Exotic) February 10, 2024
This is why “some” of our Professors will succumb to rig elections because they are grossly underpaid.
— Ajiji 🌎 MIT (@Chief_Ajiji) February 10, 2024
The funny thing is, some people will still come and explain why it has to be so..
— Nelson Ekpang (@Nellymaxi731) February 10, 2024
Crazy what a senior professor earns in Nigeria
— Chijioke Ike (@ChijiokeIke3) February 10, 2024
This is incredibly terrible
Indisputably disappointing
Unfathomably annoying
Undoubtedly heartbreaking
Pathetic! So, pathetic!!
— Dr. Kenon (@Kendominic2) February 10, 2024
Comparison with senator’s salary:
Meanwhile, below is the complete Breakdown of the earnings of a Nigerian senator. 👇https://t.co/fIKUEYASW1
— That Naija Guy™ (@IamThatNaijaGuy) February 10, 2024
Some people think the judiciary is to blame:
No offense prof but the judiciary is a big reason why we are in this mess, and I rarely see lawyers taking a serious stand against the corruption in your system.
As far as I know, no one is fighting.
Before all of us, a mess was made out of our constitution to uphold…— Tc (@eric_tc24) February 10, 2024
Lawyers are partly responsible for some of the problems confronting this nations.Simple laws has different meanings and interpretations depending on your tribes and regions and religions.
— 𝐵𝘶𝑘𝘢𝑟 𝑖𝘥𝑜𝘨ℎ𝘢 ™️🇳🇬 (@alasxan) February 10, 2024
It’s heartbreaking and pathetic reading this with tears but the same selected professors rig election to favour their anointing candidates during electioneering process. I hope we get it better and we act on time demand for what belong to us. Regards!
— OPTIMIST OF UNIVERSE (@Web3Analyst01) February 10, 2024
Prof. Is your professor colleagues that collaborated with INEC to put Nigeria in this mess! They were declaring concocted election results.
It will definitely go round. We will all share from the renewed hardship &shege.
— Ben Cephas (@ben_cephas) February 10, 2024
Its also unfortunate that when election time comes, some professors, who just like you, know first hand when ordinary Nigerians go through, will help in stealing elections, and plunging us further in the abyss.
Remain blessed.
— Uncle Dabi (@UncleDabi) February 10, 2024
Be careful with your health, others warn:
So sad about the current state of things in the country.
Ma’am as you watch the match tomorrow from the comfort of your home, please 🙏 don’t be emotionally attached to the game, just watch casually as the tension from the match will be high and your health and wellness is of…
— Kagha Uchenna (INVINCIBLE GIANTS) (@Giantman01) February 10, 2024
It’s not necessary to watch the match please, check your health to make sure you are fit for any kind of shock, this is football, it’s a game of 50/50 chances of winning and losing.
— U10 🇳🇬 (@u10akaji) February 10, 2024
It’s probably due to demands, says someone:
The price is probably due to increased demand as a result of the AFCON final. Many people want the same dates that you are looking for. If you switch the flight to two weeks from now, you will probably get about a third or quarter of that figure.
— Chinedu (@stillchino) February 10, 2024
