In a manner akin only to what obtains in the fiefdoms of the medieval ages, and surpassing what used obtain in the draconian dictatorial government of a certain dark-googled Nigerian infantry General whose demise was well-celebrated in the late 90s, the Governor of Lagos State has shown how common sense is the most uncommon thing to come-by. Supposedly a SAN, Fashola has acted shamelessly and disgracefully. The nitty-gritty of this, you all know. So, I will not bother you with the basics.

However, what has enraged me is the level of stark ignorance and bias that has typified a chunk of the comments of a large section of the public and Fashola appologetics. These are what I want to address.

To start with, Tinubu (the feudal Lord of South-West political milieu) claims they pay the "youngest of them" #170,000. Good. What he failed to tell his audience is that these "youngest of them" are LEVEL 12 civil servants; very senior civil servants for that matter. And that the actual basic salary is less than #130,000. The question is: How many other civil servants in that level earns less? Yet, how many goes to work at 8:00am and closes by 4:00pm the NEXT day every weekday? How many goes to work on Friday morning and closes on Monday evening?

Some claim the doctor work is a humanitarian service. Yes, I agree. That is why we are not asking for what commiserate with our work input. What we only ask for is what will enable us afford the minimal standard needed for our survival in the increasingly lopsided Nigerian society. Last time I checked, we are supposed to pay house rents, water bill,light bill, children school fees, patients bill (surprised?), transport fares.... Or are these free for doctors? Aren't we supposed to wear clothes to work? These does not even include feeding! This is preposterous! Maybe you should compare us with a primary school-leaver (called councillor) who 'earns' over #300,000 monthly for sitting on a table for less than 4hrs in less than 4 days a week, which is just a minute fraction of his take-home pay! Let's not even talk of the senators.

I remember during my service. A fellow corper asked why I am being paid more. I asked him when he entered school, to which he replied '2005'. The truth is that if I had gone for his course, I would be Serving already by that time! So, I would have had 5 yrs working experience by the time I was serving with him. Imagine what I would be earning then. The same is the case now too.

Everyday, we doctors jettison our family, our private life, our comfort, our social life and our religious life to "save" human life and ensure comfortable life for others. We sacrifice everything for the sake of others. Yet, it is an offence to demand the little we need to keep us alive to continue to keep serving humanity. To say that the same people we sacrifice our living for are the ones against us is even more unfortunate. But then, we wont be deterred.

On a parting note, I must say this. Fashola is replacing experience and integrity with desperation and incompetence. By replacing highly experienced and trusted doctors with desperate doctors who have either just finished school or have been frustratingly languishing in the corridors of private hospitals, treating only malaria and typhoid, he aims to solve the healthcare problems in Lagos. What a pity. I can only imagine the worst.

Finally, to the doctors taking up appointments, a Yoruba adage says "pashon ti a fi na iyale....". I need not say more.

Since u ve accepted that ur service is humanitarian job why don't yu look up to God for reward cos no amount of increment by govt can satisfy ones need and also alowing innocent people you are destine to save their lives die helplessly infront. I believe if you are in govt or in same position as the commisioner for health you may do worse

REDs house: Since u ve accepted that ur service is humanitarian job why don't yu look up to God for reward cos no amount of increment by govt can satisfy ones need and also alowing innocent people you are destine to save their lives die helplessly infront. I believe if you are in govt or in same position as the commisioner for health you may do worse

I don't need to answer you on this matter..! u are just all-round deficient.

Doctors in the Lagos State public service recently embarked on an industrial action to press home demands for improved conditions of service. As there was stalemate in the negotiations the striking doctors sued the Lagos State Government at the National Industrial Court. The suit was filed on behalf of the doctors by their Counsel, Mr Bamidele Aturu. Upon the service of the court processes on the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice the Government proceeded to dismiss the 788 doctors including professors and consultants at the Lagos State University College of Medicine. The subversion of the rule of law did not end with the said dismissal as the doctors have since been ordered to vacate their official quarters "with immediate effect" or face eviction.

It would be recalled that when the doctors went on strike last year i led some civil society organizations to intervene in the matter. Our appeals to both sides to save the lives of poor Lagosians who patronize public medical centres and the interventions of other well meaning organizations and individuals led to the suspension of the strike. Two years ago, I had worked with Dr. Dipo Fasina, former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) in resolving the last strike by the LASU branch of ASUU. In both instances and similar other cases never hesitated to draw the attention of striking workers and the Government to the provisions of the Labour Act, Trade Dispute Act and the Constitution. Last Sunday we held a meeting of leaders of the human rights community on the strike. After the meeting we set the engine in motion to meet the representatives of the doctors and the Government . We were
however taken aback when it was announced that the doctors had been sacked by the Government. In the circumstances I had no other alternative than to join issues with the Government on the legal implications of the dismissal and ejection of the doctors from their official quarters. I hereby wish to comment on the two issues seriatim:

(1) Illegal Dismissal of Doctors.

It is not in dispute that the power to "hire and fire" staff is vested in employers of labour. But workers who embark on strike cannot, ipso facto, be fired by the management without recourse to the provisions of the Trade. Dispute Act. In this case, the doctors have approached the NIC to resolve the trade dispute pursuant to the provisions of Section 251 of the amended Constitution of the Republic. Once the court processes were served on the Lagos State Government it ought to have allowed the legal process to run its full course. But b engaging in self help the Lagos State Government decided the court process with contempt and thereby sabotage the rule of law. Even under a military dictatorship the Supreme Court had cause to warn the Lagos state Government to desist from taking any action that was capable of presenting the court with a fait accompli. See The Military Governor of Lagos State v Chief Emeka Ojukwu(1986) 2 NWLR (pt 18) 621. As the respondent (Ojukwu) was ejected when he had already sued the Government the apex court ordered that he be restored to the disputed house before the appellant (Lagos State Government) could be heard in the case. The order was promptly complied with.

When Justice Ayo Salami was suspended last year by President Goodluck Jonathan on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council the Federal Government was berated for taking the action when the matter was pending at the Federal High Court. It was pointedly made clear that the Federal Authorities had violated the principle of law enunciated in the Ojukwu's case by resorting to self help. Since what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander the Lagos State Government which has been in the forefront in the campaign for the operation of the rule of law in Nigeria should rescind the dismissal of the doctors and allow the NIC to hear and determine the case. Since the doctors had, suo motu, invoked the jurisdiction of the NIC they would have been ordered to resume work by the court before the commencement of the proceedings.

(2) Illegal Eviction of Doctors.

In an eviction notice dated 8th May, 2012 the dismissed doctors were directed to vacate their official quarters with immediate effect. It has been reported that the doctors would be forcefully ejected from the quarters if they fail to comply with the quit notice. It is embarrassing that the Lagos State Government has refused to appreciate the distinction between a contractual tenancy and statutory tenancy. It is trite law that employees who reside in official quarters by virtue of their employment are contractual tenants and remain so throughout the period of the employment. Where however, the contract is determined for any reason whatsoever the employees automatically become statutory tenants if they fail to relinquish the official residence.

The provision of the law is clear on the fundamental preconditions for taking over possession of premises in Lagos State. Statutory notices are necessary prerequisites for the grant of possession.The Lagos State Tenancy Law, 2011 has made adequate provisions for the various notices required to be given to tenants by a landlord before applying for the recovery of premises. Having become statutory tenants the sacked doctors are entitled to the necessary notices in compliance with the law before they can be removed from the official residence by a competent court of law.

In the case of African Petroleum Ltd v Owodunni (1991) 8 N.W.L.R (Pt. 209) 396 the Supreme Court held inter alia: “Sometimes a statute gives security of tenure to a tenant after his contractual tenancy has expired. Where such a statute exists, such a tenant then holds such a premises no longer as a contractual tenant, because there no longer exists a contract between him and the landlord, but he retains possession by virtue of the provisions of the statute and is entitled to all the benefits and is subject to all the terms and conditions of the original tenancy” See also Pan Asian African Co. Ltd v N.I.C.O.N (1982) 9 S.C 1 at 13.

In the light of the foregoing we urge the Lagos State Government to withdraw the illegal quit notices and be guided by the provisions of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011 if it is desirous to recover possession of the official quarters allocated to the doctors. A government which requires citizens to comply with the law cannot afford to breach the law.

NEWS: Fashola flies father abroad for treatment; Uni-Lag VC dies of heart attack in Lagos. Sorry , no time to fly him abroad.
Advice: Lagos state govt, pls buy more Air Ambulances! And it should not serve only members of Fashola's extended family.
Nigeria we hail thee

Go and find somewhere else to take your rants to. I wonder how you are a doctor with this hate spewing from you. You are a disgrace to your profession. I challenge you to post your name so we can advise the NMA to withdraw your license as well. Rubbish. They go pay you 10 million a month because you are a bloody doctor

zipper003: In a manner akin only to what obtains in the fiefdoms of the medieval ages, and surpassing what used obtain in the draconian dictatorial government of a certain dark-googled Nigerian infantry General whose demise was well-celebrated in the late 90s, the Governor of Lagos State has shown how common sense is the most uncommon thing to come-by. Supposedly a SAN, Fashola has acted shamelessly and disgracefully. The nitty-gritty of this, you all know. So, I will not bother you with the basics.

However, what has enraged me is the level of stark ignorance and bias that has typified a chunk of the comments of a large section of the public and Fashola appologetics. These are what I want to address.

To start with, Tinubu (the feudal Lord of South-West political milieu) claims they pay the "youngest of them" #170,000. Good. What he failed to tell his audience is that these "youngest of them" are LEVEL 12 civil servants; very senior civil servants for that matter. And that the actual basic salary is less than #130,000. The question is: How many other civil servants in that level earns less? Yet, how many goes to work at 8:00am and closes by 4:00pm the NEXT day every weekday? How many goes to work on Friday morning and closes on Monday evening?

Some claim the doctor work is a humanitarian service. Yes, I agree. That is why we are not asking for what commiserate with our work input. What we only ask for is what will enable us afford the minimal standard needed for our survival in the increasingly lopsided Nigerian society. Last time I checked, we are supposed to pay house rents, water bill,light bill, children school fees, patients bill (surprised?), transport fares.... Or are these free for doctors? Aren't we supposed to wear clothes to work? These does not even include feeding! This is preposterous! Maybe you should compare us with a primary school-leaver (called councillor) who 'earns' over #300,000 monthly for sitting on a table for less than 4hrs in less than 4 days a week, which is just a minute fraction of his take-home pay! Let's not even talk of the senators.

I remember during my service. A fellow corper asked why I am being paid more. I asked him when he entered school, to which he replied '2005'. The truth is that if I had gone for his course, I would be Serving already by that time! So, I would have had 5 yrs working experience by the time I was serving with him. Imagine what I would be earning then. The same is the case now too.

Everyday, we doctors jettison our family, our private life, our comfort, our social life and our religious life to "save" human life and ensure comfortable life for others. We sacrifice everything for the sake of others. Yet, it is an offence to demand the little we need to keep us alive to continue to keep serving humanity. To say that the same people we sacrifice our living for are the ones against us is even more unfortunate. But then, we wont be deterred.

On a parting note, I must say this. Fashola is replacing experience and integrity with desperation and incompetence. By replacing highly experienced and trusted doctors with desperate doctors who have either just finished school or have been frustratingly languishing in the corridors of private hospitals, treating only malaria and typhoid, he aims to solve the healthcare problems in Lagos. What a pity. I can only imagine the worst.

Finally, to the doctors taking up appointments, a Yoruba adage says "pashon ti a fi na iyale....". I need not say more.

what you guys forgot to understand is that the masses are against your actions.how much does a human life cost to you and your fellow sacked doctors ?

Mr. Globe:
Go and find somewhere else to take your rants to. I wonder how you are a doctor with this hate spewing from you. You are a disgrace to your profession. I challenge you to post your name so we can advise the NMA to withdraw your license as well. Rubbish. They go pay you 10 million a month because you are a bloody doctor

"Bloody Doctor" u where certainly raised in an orphanage and u're childish rant is excusable.
anyone whose life has bin saved by a doctor would give a more balanced perspective and see reason with Doctors in lagos..
ITS ONLY IN NIGERIA THAT DOCTORS HAVE TO EVEN CREATE TIME TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON HOW THEY CAN PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, while attending to their humanity-based profession. MAY BE DOCTORS SHOULD BE CATERED FOR BY THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE, JUST LIKE PASTORS AND PRIESTS instead of being govt workers.

I have no single idea why doctors can be classified as state or federal go...vernment workers. I am sorry to be making comparisons. here in Japan, all doctors have the same salary scale under the federal government. There is even nothing to negotiate here. Other healthworkes know their level too.

See these greedy people ooooo. Coming here to make all sorts of noises. FYI, the NMA does not have the power to withdraw anyone's license it is a professional body so take your threats about banning the new doctors elsewhere

How will insulting fashola and Mr Globe's place of birth (you mentioned orphanage) going to help your cause.

chuks49: How will insulting fashola and Mr Globe's place of birth (you mentioned orphanage) going to help your cause.

they dont have any cause. They are better of sacked! We cant entrust human lives with this greedy bas.tards!

@op

Everytime you people strike, u keep comparing ur take home pay to that of councillors, why don't u just quit medicine and go into politics? You selfish people have never gone on strike for the poor standard of facilities but for ur own pockets. 40% of u already have ur own mushroom clinics anyways, its d other 60% who followed the stupidity of the union leaders that I blame.

This is the result of unreasonable strikes. People are forced to take sides and as time goes on you begin to lose support.

You better take your rubbish rants somewhere else,who cares if you are sacked do you know how many lives u've end with all your stu.pid actions.
Mind you someone close and dear to me was killed because of your strike.
I just hope this is military era when you could have been locked up or even shot.
Good riddance to bloody doctor.

aanumama: You better take your rubbish rants somewhere else,who cares if you are sacked do you know how many lives u've end with all your stu.pid actions.
Mind you someone close and dear to me was killed because of your strike.
I just hope this is military era when you could have been locked up or even shot.
Good riddance to bloody doctor.

This person is just one of many people who just don't care about those silly doctors again. You guys took it too far. You had a nice tune but did not know when to stop

With the way u sprewed out all this jargons,sir,i wished you were sacked some distant 10 years ago and not now!
How can u insult someone that he was brought up in the orphanage?
And d least of u earn #170k,wch means u earn close 2 #300k!
My mum has been teaching for close to 30years and she doesn't earn that much. Ungreatful,greedy and unsympathetic clowns!
The state is even better of than u lots.
Come here and quote me or insult me,u'l see Ahmadioha seal dat ur mouth,sir!

FOOLISH DOCTORS THAT SHUD HAVE STRUCK JUST BEFORE ELECTIONS.YOU BETTER GO AND BUILD UR OWN HOSPITALS.MUMU PPL NA WEN 4YRS DON SURE NA IN UNA WAN FLEW MUSCLE WIT TRAILER

mykejones: With the way u sprewed out all this jargons,sir,i wished you were sacked some distant 10 years ago and not now!
How can u insult someone that he was brought up in the orphanage?
And d least of u earn #170k,wch means u earn close 2 #300k!
My mum has been teaching for close to 30years and she doesn't earn that much. Ungreatful,greedy and unsympathetic clowns!
The state is even better of than u lots.
Come here and quote me or insult me,u'l see Ahmadioha seal dat ur mouth,sir!

hahaha.... Dont mind d stup¡d man. I can bet he is a quack doctor. The weed in the profession who are only after the money. He should come and rent a space to open a clinic from me, if he can pay N13million as rent per month

I actually pity the good doctors among this pack who were consumed by unionism. Unionism just took food away from some peoples tables because of the greediness of a few

aanumama: You better take your rubbish rants somewhere else,who cares if you are sacked do you know how many lives u've end with all your stu.pid actions.
Mind you someone close and dear to me was killed because of your strike.
I just hope this is military era when you could have been locked up or even shot.
Good riddance to bloody doctor.

sorry for your loss

Awon oloshi doctors. Shebi na you no won work. Fashola only help you accomplish that since you are always on strike anyway. Go away if you no won work, plenty people dey look for work.

Go to GEJ and NMA and let them pay you everything you want.

Awon were buruku think we are desperate hostages to take collect ransom everyday.

zipper003:
Everyday, we doctors jettison our family, our private life, our comfort, our social life and our religious life to "save" human life and ensure comfortable life for others. We sacrifice everything for the sake of others. Yet, it is an offence to demand the little we need to keep us alive to continue to keep serving humanity. To say that the same people we sacrifice our living for are the ones against us is even more unfortunate. But then, we wont be deterred.

On a parting note, I must say this. Fashola is replacing experience and integrity with desperation and incompetence. By replacing highly experienced and trusted doctors with desperate doctors who have either just finished school or have been frustratingly languishing in the corridors of private hospitals, treating only malaria and typhoid, he aims to solve the healthcare problems in Lagos. What a pity. I can only imagine the worst.

Finally, to the doctors taking up appointments, a Yoruba adage says "pashon ti a fi na iyale....". I need not say more.

Man mi, your statement in bold is clue to why many view you doctors as grandstanding , Machiavellian and unreasonable - diva-style. How can you lampoon your fellow professionals as "desperate" and "incompetent" simply because they don't share your views?

Are these not fully qualified doctors you now savage ungraciously here? I personally hate to see this sort of thing. I don't know the sort of professional you are when you find it easy to cast aspersion on the qualification and efficacy of peers. As an unspoken rule, it just is not done but I guess anything goes in Nigeria where many are arrogant and carried away with an over-blown sense of their own importance.

Your attitude here eloquently reveals the arrogance that may be the cause of the problem i.e you guys thinking you are god and indispensible while harbouring casual contempt for others.

E

Doctors and good health are a necessity in every society. And despite their importance (whether we like to admit it or not) nobody is indispensible.

Bottom line is we as a people give relevance to what we think should be relevant. And if our politicians are more important than our value for human life, then I rest my case.

It is very easy to blame the Docs for going on strike, but we forget that this decay did not start with them.

If the Nigerian government thinks the health of the country is important, we wouldn't have appalling maternal/infant mortality figures. Life expectancy wouldn't be so low.

And in a society where we are already deprived of doctors, and so many have already left to work for other countries (despite receiving their education and training in Nigeria)we should value what we have.

For the up-coming generations, I hope you learn from these incidents before you fill your JAMB form. Personally, I believe that the effects of this action will go a very long way.

I think Doctors in Nigeria deserve a lot more than BRF and a lot of Nairalanders are giving right now.

Mr. Globe:
Go and find somewhere else to take your rants to. I wonder how you are a doctor with this hate spewing from you. You are a disgrace to your profession. I challenge you to post your name so we can advise the NMA to withdraw your license as well. Rubbish. They go pay you 10 million a month because you are a bloody doctor

you have HATE scribbled allover you as well

Even on NL that same nerve racking, insufferable insolence for which his type have become known for reeks through virtually every word in OP's post

you spent 20years in school so we no go hia word again?

you pay school fees for your children, electricity bills and other utilities? NO KIDDING. I guess the other thousands of Lagos workers who pay at EXACTLY THE SAME rate but earn FAR, FAR less than you ungrateful lot must be privileged beneficiaries of some sort of behind the scenes subsidy program.

Geez! The blatant insolence of it!

You actually came here looking for sympathy? For what? That the young, just graduated HO earns almost TEN P-H-O-C-K-I-N-G times what the average Nigerian worker takes home?

Dem force una to read medicine?

Nonsense!

ziga: Doctors and good health are a necessity in every society. And despite their importance (whether we like to admit it or not) nobody is indispensible.

Bottom line is we as a people give relevance to what we think should be relevant. And if our politicians are more important than our value for human life, then I rest my case.

It is very easy to blame the Docs for going on strike, but we forget that this decay did not start with them.

If the Nigerian government thinks the health of the country is important, we wouldn't have appalling maternal/infant mortality figures. Life expectancy wouldn't be so low.

And in a society where we are already deprived of doctors, and so many have already left to work for other countries (despite receiving their education and training in Nigeria)we should value what we have.

For the up-coming generations, I hope you learn from these incidents before you fill your JAMB form. Personally, I believe that the effects of this action will go a very long way.

I think Doctors in Nigeria deserve a lot more than BRF and a lot of Nairalanders are giving right now.

If they deserve to go on strike everyday and let people die, then they deserve to be fired, they were not on the job anyways. You can keep holding your boss hostage everyday, but one day one day, your boss go fire you regardless.

^^^them no force una go hospital. in short una no get hospital before, now una no get doctor.

OK/2/NV:
^^^them no force una go hospital. in short una no get hospital before, now una no get doctor.

Olodo. who tell you say doctors no dey? The sacked doctors are less than half of the doctors on duty in Lagos.

Crawl back inside your hole and stop talking rubbish..

I remember during my service. A fellow corper asked why I am being paid more. I asked him when he entered school, to which he replied '2005'. The truth is that if I had gone for his course, I would be Serving already by that time! So, I would have had 5 yrs working experience by the time I was serving with him. Imagine what I would be earning then. The same is the case now too.

On a parting note, I must say this. Fashola is replacing experience and integrity with desperation and incompetence. By replacing highly experienced and trusted doctors with desperate doctors who have either just finished school or have been frustratingly languishing in the corridors of private hospital

I really can't understand how someone who served with a 2005 entrant (likely in 2010) will call himself EXPERIENCED AND TRUSTED. I really don't gerrit.

I think u are intelligent.ur response shows otherwise.

Eko Ile: Awon oloshi doctors. Shebi na you no won work. Fashola only help you accomplish that since you are always on strike anyway. Go away if you no won work, plenty people dey look for work.

Go to GEJ and NMA and let them pay you everything you want.

Awon were buruku think we are desperate hostages to take collect ransom everyday.

Laalamed: I think u are intelligent.ur response shows otherwise.

And who is this nuisance? Abeg fcuck off with that nonsense...

I wished any of the docs was lynched by angry relatives of those that died,next time they will think twice before abandoning people to die.