Kehinde Samuel
Mazi Eze, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt’s English Department, saw his aspirations for his Public Speaking Academy dashed against the rocks of reality: his meager salary. Denied a N5 million loan by First Bank due to his N191,000 monthly income, Eze took to Facebook to express his frustration, not just with the bank, but with the entire system that puts professors on a financial tightrope.
Eze’s narrative on his social media page paints a picture of dashed dreams and professional limitations. He had approached his bank, not for frivolous reasons, but to invest in his academy and improve his social media presence. Yet, his seemingly modest request was deemed too much for a salary barely above 3 times the national minimum wage.
Eze’s plight highlights the stark disparity in academic salaries across Nigerian universities. While his colleagues in other institutions reportedly earn between N230,000 and N250,000, his UNIPORT paycheck leaves him struggling to make ends meet and pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. The “jolly good lady” at First Bank, though sympathetic, was bound by financial reality. Eze’s salary simply couldn’t carry the weight of the loan.
Eze’s story goes beyond a personal setback. It raises questions about the value placed on academia in Nigeria. Are professors, the custodians of knowledge and future shapers, condemned to a life of financial constraints? Can their dreams for innovation and advancement be stifled by a salary structure that barely covers basic needs?
Eze’s Facebook post is not just a cry of frustration, but a call for action. It’s a reminder that the intellectual wealth of a nation cannot flourish on empty stomachs and unfulfilled ambitions. It’s a plea for a system that recognizes the true worth of its educators and empowers them to not just survive, but thrive.
