'my labours of the past are in vain'

My labours of the past are in vain
Pa Gbadamosi Ganiyu Olatunde, an 83-year- old pensioner cries out that he is dying of hunger as his pension has not been paid for months. Taiwo Abiodun who visited him in Ijebu- Ode writes.

Dressed in his jalabiya Muslim praying gown that has seen good old time and with tajia cap to match. He looked unkempt as his appearance exhibited the pitiable condition he is. In his sparsely furnished sitting room where The Nation met him , the 83- year- old pensioner in hushed and emotion laden voice stammered ‘’ I have just had my breakfast few minutes to 4pm . I am poor and I don’t have money to buy food that is why I skipped my breakfast in order to have this lunch. I do not know where my supper will come from, and if I die , of which I don’t pray for now, I know Allah will accept my soul’’. He pointed to the dinning table , and in low voice whispered ‘’ that is the remaining tea without milk and sugar I took ‘’ .

With the little energy left in him , Pa Gbadamosi wobbled for some minutes in the living room and then sank into one of the sofa chairs with the praying rosary in his right hand rolling the beads one after the other chanting Alau Akba!, Alau Akba!! , while using his left hand to fiddle with the strands of his grey goatee while nodding his head intermittently.

The octogenarian with the fewer teeth in his mouth is lean and weak. He looks wearied and fagged out. His eyes had sunk into his sockets while his skin has become rough not only because of old age but hunger and uncertainty that had enveloped him not only this , nature has done a fatal blow on him while his health is deteriorating. He was nervous as he spoke. ’’I am the oldest man living on this street now and I am not too old to die , but should I die by hunger ?’’, he rhetorically asked as he glanced at the ceiling for some minutes as if that would provide an answer to his questions .

The old man who despite his age still has good memory of his past in the civil service said the civil service years were memorable period he would live to remember as he served his father’s land with vigour, conscience and sincerity.

Narrating his working years , he said ‘’ I started working in the Federal Civil Service in Federal Ministry of Finance, in the NIPOST department in August 8th 1955 as a clerical officer and rose to the position of Senior Accountant Level 10 Step 3 . I retired on 7-3- 1988 on the ground of age , after spending 35years of active service.’’ He showed a photocopy of his disengagement letter dated May 5th, 1987, from the Area Postal Controller ,Oyo Postal Area , Ibadan that reads ‘’I am directed to inform you that from the records of birth you submitted on your appointment, your date of birth is 7/3/28 as you will attain the age of 60 on 7/3/88 you are hereby advised to ensure that you take annual leave due to you to expire at the eve of your birthday while your retirement from the Federal Public Service becomes effective on your birthday i.e 7/3/88.

The letter was signed by one S.A.Ajetumobi, on behalf of the Postmaster General
The old man again in order to convince this reporter brought out his file that reads the following other details of his particulars Pension Code is 52-1160-cv, Retirement Ref .PEN /PN6397 of 5-5-88. Estab File No P.43695/118/C/PEN OF 28/8/89.Pension Bank –First Bank of Nigeria with account No of 1973010096011, Ijebu Ode.

He said he had written several letters to the presidency, Office of civil service of the federation , Abuja, intimating them of his plight that he has not received his salary for months yet there was no response .

Asked whether he did not plan for his retirement while in active service , the old man looked up and said ’’ I worked very hard, I bought shares with the little I was earning then but today most of the companies have folded up .I was really obedient and hardworking during my years. I thought I would benefit from the government pension scheme like the former beneficiaries who too had enjoyed, and that I would by now be resting and enjoying my last days on earth without sweat. I thought I would wake up , eat and rest with the position of level 10 I had attained before Imy retirement which I believe was the best thing to do, but here I am wallowing in abject poverty’’.

.
Asked whether he had any regret working in the public service, the old man looked at this reporter and responded in a croaked voice that showed his regrets and anger and declared ’’ In those days nobody was willing to work in companies because of the government’s pension scheme. We were counselled that the best job then was that of the civil service so that when we retire home we would have something to fall back upon . But see what we are all experiencing now , we are falling back on poverty .’’

According to Gbadamosi, pensioners are dying everyday ,’’You see I am sick, I have no money to go the hospital , I cannot buy drugs for myself and I have become a beggar on the street. I lost my junior wife sometimes ago while my senior wife is sick and had been taken to Abeokuta by her children in order to take care of her. At 83, when I am supposed to be eating from the fruit of my labour , I am still here on earth suffering as if I did not work at all. So all the services I rendered for the past 35 years to my fatherland is in vain.’’

On the efforts he and his colleagues had made so far, the old man said did not fold their arms as the Federal Government pensioners used to converge at St Augustine School, in Ijebu Ode every Thursday to discuss what should be done. ‘’We had prayed a lot to let God in His mercy take control but no sign of remorse from the federal government’’, he said as he drooped his head .

Comparing the jumbo salaries the political office holders and House of Representatives members are earning with the pensioners he declared’’ I jotted this down from the newspapers how the politicians are being paid. while the Speaker of The House is carting away 100million naira home every month, the Deputy goes home with 80million, and the least which is the Minority Leader pockets 50million naira monthly , while we pensioners are suffering. At my age , I think the younger ones especially those in the corridors of power should remember us, the old ones and have mercy on us .These politicians’ parents are enjoying and we are here suffering .Are we not in this same country and going to the same market?’’’.

He said as he instructed this writer to highlight on the monthly salaries of the public officers.‘’I have written several letters to the federal government to look into our affairs, I have personally written to beg them pay my meagre pension which is 24,000naira , my last two children are still in the university and I am living alone here. The most painful thing is that if I die today sympathisers would believe I was old enough to die not knowing that hunger , sickness and worries contributed to my death which was caused by the federal government who did not pay my pension''.