Welcome to Sam Obukelihor's Blog

 What is no longer news is that we have a new national minimum of N70,000. per month. However, what is lost on the nation is the dollar value of the N70,000. A little historical look back will not harm any right thinking Nigerian.. 2009, the national minimum wage was N18,000, that was equal to $117. 2019, the national minimum wage was N30,000, that was equal to $98. AND 2024, the national minimum wage is N70,000, that is equal to $45. In comparison, between 2011 and 2024 due to the dollar denomination of our consumption economy, the national minimum wage went down by 260% with other attendant consequences on our living standard. Two beautiful things came out of the negotiation process. Nigeria being a signatory to the ILO Convention on Collective Bargaining notwithstanding, successive governments in Nigeria have always frustrated public collective bargaining and refused to respect or honoured Collective Agreements. The gains of the national minimum wage negotiations can be summariz...

 Looking for a man void of understanding? Find a man who who follows vainn leaders just like Nigerians.

 Two major points from The Law Of Rest 1 were: - Only thieves refuse to go on annual leave. And - Those who refused to Rest will be laid to Rest.. My experience as an employee as regards The Law of Rest, was closely tied to my decision in 1990 that I will not work for any body or organisation that will not allow to go on annual leave. I'll like to report that apart from my first job where my first annual leave delayed for 17 months due to the probation period, there was no other place that I worked that I did not go on annual leave as at when due, even in one organisation, where they tried to prevent and/ or cut short my annual leave, I frustrated them. Two examples from two public quoted companies:- Firstly, I proceeded on my annual leave and the Head, Human Resources, tried to recall me back from leave and my direct boss refused stating that when he goes on leave and travels to the UK, he was never recalled. To this the Head, HR opined that I was a Nigerian. My boss told him, tha...

 Looking for a man of Wicked devices who will be condemned? Find a man who hates reproof, who is also callous exactly like Nigerian government official.  

There are two Economics laws that best  explain, the law of Rest. These laws are: The law of Diminishing Returns and The Law of Marginal Utility. The Law of Rest states that when you work and rest and work again, you produce more than when you work continuously without rest. The application of this Law of Rest has been manifest in the practice of Bush Fallowing and/ or Shifting Cultivation in Agriculture. Applied to fair labour practice, it results in the principle of annual vacation for employees. Employees are meant to stop work and rest for 30 minutes after 4 hours of work. This accounts for why employees who work 8 hours a day,, are given 1 hour break in between the 8 hours. Applied to yearly work, every employee is entitled to a number of weeks vacation every year without negotiation. In fact in my clime, the law says, an employee shall not accumulate more than two years vacation. Any employee in any organisation where the CEO goes on vacation annually, and does not go on vaca...

 Looking for a man whose children will be blessed after he is gone? Find a man walking in his integrity.

 In the last two weeks, our content dealt with the why of failure of the both parties that prepare for job interviews. This week, as we conclude the content on Preparing For A Job Interview, I wish to share my personal experiences. If you have been following the postings on this blog, you would have noticed my continued reference to the Nigerian Malady - NEPOTISM. Before I share with you three or four experiences each as a  Candidate and as a HR Manager, I'll like to make a pervasive statement to the effect that "No Nigerian HR Manager wanted to hire me but for the intervention of foreigners with superior authority devoid of the Nigerian Malady". I dare say, I usually prepared very hard for job interviews, no wonder I always came first, but selection was a different kettle of fish. AS A CANDIDATE Firstly, I attended a job interview in a manufacturing company where I came first, but a "powerful" man in the company decided to employ the candidates that came 4th an...

 Looking for the Nigerian pastor's principle? The principle states that " a man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth and the increase of his lips"

 Last week, our content was on one of the two parties preparing for a job interview, but failed due to inadequate preparations - The Candidate. This week the content is on the second party who fails on the long-run due to lack of inadequate preparations - The HR Manager. We have asserted some time in the past that high labour turnover is the failing of the HR Manager. You cannot give what you don't have. A large percentage of HR Managers got into their present positions by Nepotism which they call Sponsorship. These categories only look for sponsored candidates, who are in most cases not ready to work. A little pressure, they are out. There are HR Manager who fix other engagements on the day they have invited candidates for a job interview, so that, it is when candidates arrive that they start over heat -  OH Other HR Managers keep candidates waiting on end and claim they are testing candidates patience. Also, there are HR Managers that are not HR Managers but Finance and Admi...