In Africa,a man’s belief system defines him. It determines his association and in many ways influences his choices and lack of. In many cases, his adherence to his religion is supposed to make him forgo many acts or vices. The vices differ from one religious belief to the other but what doesn’t differ is the fact that for adherence to every belief system, there is an opportunity cost. For a Christian, he has to become not of this world even though he is in the world. He is supposed to potray the lifestyle of the Christ while living according to the teachings of the Old and/or New Testament depending on the sect or denomination he belongs to. For the Muslim it means following the teachings of the prophet as revealed in the Quran or as reported/narrated in the various Hadiths. It then goes beyond saying that adherents of the two major religions are not oblivious of the principle of opportunity cost.

The term “opportunity cost” was not coined until 1914 by Austrian economist Friedrich von Wieser in his book Theorie der gesellschaftlichen Wirtschaft but the principle had been proposed many years before by French classical economist Frédéric Bastiat in his essay "What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen. Bastiat went to great lengths to provide many examples of how his fictional character James Goodfellow chose one alternative action or expense over another and how Goodfellows choices not only impacted his life, but the lives of those around him and this led to the Bastiat penning the words below

“In the economic sphere an act, a habit, an institution, a law produces not only one effect, but a series of effects. Of these effects, the first alone is immediate; it appears simultaneously with its cause; it is seen. The other effects emerge only subsequently; they are not seen; we are fortunate if we foresee them

There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen”

One is then left to wonder what manner of economics is practiced in Nigeria. One is left to wonder if those that have been entrusted with the careful management of our resources take into account both the visible effects and the effects that must be forseen.

Its not news that government takes it upon itself to sponsor adherents of christianity and islam on pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Mecca respectively and even though the distribution might be skewed across the different states, both religions enjoy the privilege across the country. In recent times, the Kebbi State Governor was in the news for pronouncing that the “slots” for “Christian pilgrims” in Kebbi has been increased from 30 to 100 yearly. It is estimated that each pilgrim requires an average on $5000(excluding nigerian factor) to make this trip which will bring the total budget on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to* $500,000(five hundred thousand dollars). At an exchange rate of 160naira to a dollar, Kebbi state will be spending *80,000,000 (eighty million)naira only on Christian pilgrims alone. One is then left to wonder what it intends to spend on its Muslim pilgrims.

*Eighty million might not seem as so much in the eyes of Governor Dakingari. It seems like a drop in the billions his state receives as monthly federal allocation but to the 40,000 young children who could have sat on the desks 80million will provide, it is a lot. To the 26,000 farmers who could have made us of the bags of fertilizer 80million will provide, it’s a lot. To the rural dwellers who could have made use of the electrification 80million naira will provide, it’s a lot. To the unemployed graduates who could have gotten assistance from the micro-credit scheme, to those who don’t have water in their homes, to those who require inner-city roads and generally to all inhabitants of Kebbi State. The desks, fertilizer, electrification, micro-credit, water and roads are all the opportunity cost to the sponsorship of a pilgrimage which ordinarily should be undertaken whenever the pilgrim can afford to do so.

It is however encouraging to note that a few state executives are doing away with this means of rewarding political associates. Governor Oshiomole once remarked or preached, as it were, a secular sermon to his righteous guests. A pilgrimage, he told them, is “a luxury” and he would not spend taxpayers’ money on it. A poor man “who has no roof over his head,” he said, “cannot be spiritually uplifted if he goes to Israel and returns to a state of homelessness.”

Besides, “only a clean heart,” and not a pilgrimage, will decide the believer’s place in the after-life. He would much rather subsidise education, healthcare, productive ventures “central to the survival of the people”.

Governor Kwakwanso of Kano has also stated that his state has saved a whooping one billion naira yearly since it stopped sponsoring pilgrimages. He defended his action by saying “There is nowhere Islam allows for the removing of public funds to sponsor individuals on pilgrimages,”

Contrast this with the Niger state Goverment that proudly stated that it has spend 5.1billion naira on sponsoring pilrimages in 6years and the only defence given by the Governor to this absurdity is that it was the only way some people would benefit from the government. He even cited Fulani herdsmen as some people in the state who did not benefit from the provision of amenities by government and thus have to be compensated with pilgrimages

Religion should be a personal affair and all Nigerians should come together to condemn this outrageous pilfering away of our collective patrimony on a supposedly religious few. It is wrong, it is immoral and not backed by and section, clause or act in our constitution.

It doesn’t take rocket science to foresee the effect if the welfare of the majority become the opportunity cost to the spiritual upliftment, albeit for a while, of a few

http://afolayinka./2013/09/17/the-opportunity-cost-to-government-backed-pilgrimages/

Delafruita: In Africa,a man’s belief system defines him. It determines his association and in many ways influences his choices and lack of. In many cases, his adherence to his religion is supposed to make him forgo many acts or vices. The vices differ from one religious belief to the other but what doesn’t differ is the fact that for adherence to every belief system, there is an opportunity cost. For a Christian, he has to become not of this world even though he is in the world. He is supposed to potray the lifestyle of the Christ while living according to the teachings of the Old and/or New Testament depending on the sect or denomination he belongs to. For the Muslim it means following the teachings of the prophet as revealed in the Quran or as reported/narrated in the various Hadiths. It then goes beyond saying that adherents of the two major religions are not oblivious of the principle of opportunity cost.

The term “opportunity cost” was not coined until 1914 by Austrian economist Friedrich von Wieser in his book Theorie der gesellschaftlichen Wirtschaft but the principle had been proposed many years before by French classical economist Frédéric Bastiat in his essay "What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen. Bastiat went to great lengths to provide many examples of how his fictional character James Goodfellow chose one alternative action or expense over another and how Goodfellows choices not only impacted his life, but the lives of those around him and this led to the Bastiat penning the words below

“In the economic sphere an act, a habit, an institution, a law produces not only one effect, but a series of effects. Of these effects, the first alone is immediate; it appears simultaneously with its cause; it is seen. The other effects emerge only subsequently; they are not seen; we are fortunate if we foresee them

There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen”

One is then left to wonder what manner of economics is practiced in Nigeria. One is left to wonder if those that have been entrusted with the careful management of our resources take into account both the visible effects and the effects that must be forseen.

Its not news that government takes it upon itself to sponsor adherents of christianity and islam on pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Mecca respectively and even though the distribution might be skewed across the different states, both religions enjoy the privilege across the country. In recent times, the Kebbi State Governor was in the news for pronouncing that the “slots” for “Christian pilgrims” in Kebbi has been increased from 30 to 100 yearly. It is estimated that each pilgrim requires an average on $5000(excluding nigerian factor) to make this trip which will bring the total budget on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to* $500,000(five hundred thousand dollars). At an exchange rate of 160naira to a dollar, Kebbi state will be spending *80,000,000 (eighty million)naira only on Christian pilgrims alone. One is then left to wonder what it intends to spend on its Muslim pilgrims.

*Eighty million might not seem as so much in the eyes of Governor Dakingari. It seems like a drop in the billions his state receives as monthly federal allocation but to the 40,000 young children who could have sat on the desks 80million will provide, it is a lot. To the 26,000 farmers who could have made us of the bags of fertilizer 80million will provide, it’s a lot. To the rural dwellers who could have made use of the electrification 80million naira will provide, it’s a lot. To the unemployed graduates who could have gotten assistance from the micro-credit scheme, to those who don’t have water in their homes, to those who require inner-city roads and generally to all inhabitants of Kebbi State. The desks, fertilizer, electrification, micro-credit, water and roads are all the opportunity cost to the sponsorship of a pilgrimage which ordinarily should be undertaken whenever the pilgrim can afford to do so.

It is however encouraging to note that a few state executives are doing away with this means of rewarding political associates. Governor Oshiomole once remarked or preached, as it were, a secular sermon to his righteous guests. A pilgrimage, he told them, is “a luxury” and he would not spend taxpayers’ money on it. A poor man “who has no roof over his head,” he said, “cannot be spiritually uplifted if he goes to Israel and returns to a state of homelessness.”

Besides, “only a clean heart,” and not a pilgrimage, will decide the believer’s place in the after-life. He would much rather subsidise education, healthcare, productive ventures “central to the survival of the people”.

Governor Kwakwanso of Kano has also stated that his state has saved a whooping one billion naira yearly since it stopped sponsoring pilgrimages. He defended his action by saying “There is nowhere Islam allows for the removing of public funds to sponsor individuals on pilgrimages,”

Contrast this with the Niger state Goverment that proudly stated that it has spend 5.1billion naira on sponsoring pilrimages in 6years and the only defence given by the Governor to this absurdity is that it was the only way some people would benefit from the government. He even cited Fulani herdsmen as some people in the state who did not benefit from the provision of amenities by government and thus have to be compensated with pilgrimages

Religion should be a personal affair and all Nigerians should come together to condemn this outrageous pilfering away of our collective patrimony on a supposedly religious few. It is wrong, it is immoral and not backed by and section, clause or act in our constitution.

It doesn’t take rocket science to foresee the effect if the welfare of the majority become the opportunity cost to the spiritual upliftment, albeit for a while, of a few

http://afolayinka./2013/09/17/the-opportunity-cost-to-government-backed-pilgrimages/

Delectable eloquence!

"Ode to common sense" would be another befitting title for the above piece .

Beautiful write up. It will take a fool to fault this op

dorox: Beautiful write up. It will take a fool to fault this op

you will be amazed that the religious folks still find a way to defend this.just like they find a way to defend 4billion naira jets and multibillion naira edifices.the christian pilgrims board spent 237million naira of taxpayers money to acquire its secretariat.this in a country where people live on less than $1 a day.religion is one of nigria's greatest problems

Delafruita: you will be amazed that the religious folks still find a way to defend this.just like they find a way to defend 4billion naira jets and multibillion naira edifices.the christian pilgrims board spent 237million naira of taxpayers money to acquire its secretariat.this in a country where people live on less than $1 a day.religion is one of nigria's greatest problems

I completely agree with you. This is something I detest so much.
If people want to go on pilgrimage they should be capable of sponsoring it. I think it is a strategy our politicians have mastered and use so well in scoring cheap political points.

Reyginus: I completely agree with you. This is something I detest so much.
If people want to go on pilgrimage they should be capable of sponsoring it. I think it is a strategy our politicians have mastered and use so well in scoring cheap political points.

exactly.governor aliyu of niger state had the effontry to suggest that since fulanis herd their cows about and hence don't benefit from electricity,roads or pipe borne water and other amenities,the government should sponsor their pilgrimages so they will have a "sense of belonging" and not feel "marginalised".utter bollocks in my view