SINECURE

Olu Budungi, a philanthropist and visionary, organized a get-together for the members of International Society of Sinecures in Nosagami Tisavoo, 1500 miles off Zena Sea. The admission fee was one lakh rupees for outsiders. Jensal Monopin, an investigative journalist, planned to cover this event secretly as unfamiliar media persons were strictly restricted entry to this historical event. He sponsored the admission fee for me and asked me to interview Kolan Tumba, honorary coordinator of this association. When the members of this association, who came from different parts of the world, were busy enjoying the bizarre moments of this celebration, with various educative programs and entertainment events, I sat with Kolan Tumba for an exclusive interview with him, on a beach, a little away from the venue of events of the day. 

I: Tell me briefly about your origin and growth as an individual?

Kolan Tumba: I was born in Lusaka Island. By the time I realized the importance of date of birth in one’s life as far as his association and identification with a particular society was concerned, my parents left me forever due to marital disputes between them. Father Jolare Bogatu adopted me and admitted me into his orphanage titled ‘Munvi Rusabu’. I was there for 10 years as a student. Later Evan Iomi, an idealist bequeathed his ancestral property to me legally and died of cancer. I grew up depending on the goodness of others always. I did not know what courses I should do to get a lucrative job. I did about 15 courses randomly from different universities in West Africa. When I was turning 40, I completely realized that nobody had a suitable job for my qualifications. I did not know whether it was a matter of honor or humiliation for me. By this time I understood that there should be one to share our feelings and keep our life balanced. I married Nongthu Dacolus out of choice. She had background and attitude similar to mine those days. I used to get about $20000 from the assets I got from Iomi. Survival was never a problem for me but identification and appreciation. Then I was living desperately in this dilemma.

I: How did you become the coordinator of this association?

Kolan: I should say it was the only exciting turning point in my pathetic life those days. It happened in 2005 or so. My wife and I were strolling along the Beach of Joosanti River that winter morning. We noticed one coming in a costly white car. He started crying soon after getting off this car that early morning. I felt empathetic but my wife insisted me on being indifferent towards that scene. I could not withstand that internal agony for a few seconds also. Why should a rich man cry that badly on a beach when I was around? God filled all with kindness to understand and help others. This genetic human concern made me run towards him. My wife stayed back not knowing what was to unfold between me and the stranger in that isolated area. I hugged and kissed him first. I requested him politely to share his innermost feelings with me to see if I could be of any help to him in those crucial moments. He said that he was a member of this association but all of them failed to find one to head it without monetary interest and concern for honor. He briefed me about the origin and growth of their association from 10 to 10 million members. I offered myself to head their association as an honorary coordinator. Within a month, I joined them for negligible remuneration. As I told you earlier, money was not an issue for me but identification and appreciation. Being head of an association, in which there are 10 million members, sounded like a windfall for me. I started my eventful journey with them by the grace of God.  

I:  What are the objectives and achievements of International Society of Sinecures?

Kolan: Sinecure means a position where work is very less but remuneration is very high. They get these jobs in private and public sectors by pure luck or lobbying. They don’t have worth of an office boy also but get paid handsomely for some reasons. For example: The chairman of a company desires to fill all key positions with loyal ones but not intelligent and challenging ones. He gives great jobs to his relatives, close friends and well-wishers hugely, not minding much whether they can do justice to those positions or not. Then, even governments recruit hundreds of idiots into key positions due to corruption, threat from external agencies or countries and recommendations from influential ones in their region. When we give value to the idea of loyalty but not character and subject knowledge of a person before deployment, we cannot observe standards and values in such organizations but loyal and worthless dogs and bitches everywhere. This association is the best example for it. I am deeply disappointed observing their culture and behavior in these celebrations over the years. Still I am continuing with them because others should know that I am associated with an association as big as this. Who has time to probe into realities?

I: What kind of designations and privileges do they have in different units of employment?

Kolan: I would explain you this phenomenon with one example. Lumusa Bomat is a member of this association. He is a vice president of operations in a multinational company. He got this position only because the owner of this company is his brother-in-law. Lumusa cannot write even four sentences correctly in English or his mother tongue. He does not have basic general knowledge also. He gets 10 lakh rupees a month from that company. He got a company car, villa and so many other privileges. All that he does in his chamber in the company is signing on a few files regularly for formality sake. They suffer a lot to hike 1,000 rupees to a hard-working employee in their company but hike thousands of rupees to these idiots in their company just because they are close to the owner. This is just one example. I believe 80% key positions in almost 90% of the mediocre companies in the world are filled by such rogues and idiots only. They have many honest, hard-working and intelligent subordinates under them. They get all pressing and important works done by them regularly but in public meetings they present themselves as the builders and promoters of great companies in the world. They spend money carelessly because they did not earn it struggling hard or applying their intelligence. They have authority to question and punish others regularly but nobody can do so towards them. They commit many mistakes and blunders knowingly or unknowingly but the management does not take it seriously. They scold if an office boy does not clean a dining table properly but their psychologies and behaviours have been infected and degraded a lot over the years. Companies often incur huge losses because of their ignorance and stupidity but management takes it easy since they are relatives of the chairman. Often I see thousands of such buffoons in these periodical meetings. They are worse than a beggar in reality but think and act like masters of authority and wisdom in companies owned and run by their kin and kith.

I: Why do company heads recruit such nuts at all?

Kolan: In India, many bosses like those who obey them without questions and doubts but not honesty and intelligence of their employees. They throw attractive jobs to their close ones always. They are like dust in the air. They don’t have value of their own. After joining a company, with a great designation like director or vice president, they show off unbelievably. They wear costly clothes; drive in highly modern and comfortable cars and live in homes of luxury. Nobody respects them once they are out of their company premises because they have no worth of their own. They don’t struggle to improve their knowledge or skills either because there is no pressure from the management. Once they assume these sinecures somehow, they remain there for years together. I hate these unscrupulous and insensitive rogues. They have no genuine concern towards the chairman or the company owned and run by him.  

I: How is it in public sector?

Kolan: Sinecures are high in public sector also. There are certain quotas for some categories of societies in all nations based on which they can get a government job easier than others. They get jobs for their children somehow. It is a tradition. Outsiders cannot enter those organizations easily. They are a strong syndicate. They lobby at various levels and achieve what they want. They conduct exams and interviews for formality sake but they bring their dear ones into those organizations strategically. HR departments act like facilitating agents in this setting. They bring their chosen ones only into their units. Mechanization and automation are there in many organizations now. Humans mostly play nominal roles of supervision and coordination in these workplace systems. They work very little but get huge salaries and benefits just because of their years of experience with that employer or in that industry. A fresh graduate or post graduate has no recognition or appreciation in this environment. Superiors do not accept the innovative ideas of youngsters in many companies. They expect their intelligent and dynamic subordinates to follow the old systems. This is how progressive growth is being curtailed in many organizations across the world. Those who joined various public sector units decades ago cannot unlearn faster and meet the demands of the modern times. So, they form into unions and protest against any measures of advancement proposed or initiated by managements or countries concerned. India is the best example for it. What happened in the USA today might happen after 50 years in India. This is all because idiots and rogues are there in key positions in many public sector units, who resist any change without a second thought.

I: Generally anybody is respected by others depending on what he knows and can do. How can incompetent ones in key positions get respect from their subordinates if they are dullards?

Kolan: What one possesses and how one appears influences us at surface level faster than what one knows and can do. Most of those who enter and continue in key positions in many companies across the world through back door act smartly and present themselves highly. Since the management pays them hugely and offers many privileges, their designations and material attractions earn respect for them. They are kings and queens in their companies but nobody respects them once they come out of their units. Others know about their ignorance and stupidity but keep quite being scared of their positions. They expect their subordinates to learn and improve continuously but they don’t struggle at their level to learn and grow intellectually. Many employees act smart roles before their superiors in many industries because it is a formality. We feel respect and affection towards those who have worth of their own and sensitivity. These idiots who enter companies through back door don’t have such virtues. If A takes 15 years to become an AGM from the position of an Executive, these dear ones to the management become so within five years. Theirs is a route of loyalty to management and cruelty towards subordinates. They don’t like their intelligent subordinates questioning them about anything. They don’t appreciate their subordinates honestly even if they do wonders. They do many immoral and illegal things at personal and company level but criticize others even if they commit a mistake. They use quite abusive language in meetings but expect respect from others. Those enjoying the benefits of sinecures in various companies don’t have empathy but selfishness and insensitivity. Who reach top positions through unfair means cannot understand the problems of others. As such, sinecures seem to be bottlenecks in the progress paths of thousands of companies and industries in the world. They don’t change to the better nor allow others to do it. Even governments have no control on them. They are like dead burden to the managements from one perspective because they refuse to change but expect wonderful packages from the organization. They suppress honest, hard-working and intelligent ones to pave way for their rapid growth there.

I: How can governments and private firms avoid or reduce the number of sinecures?

Kolan: I think it is not possible. Governments are run by idiots in many countries. They don’t have standards or values. They wish to see all their friends, relatives and well-wishers in respectable positions in companies and elsewhere at the cost of loss of great opportunities to really talented ones outside their domain. This is what we call nepotism; favouritism towards those who are related to them directly. For them talent is not important but relationship. They keep their wives, siblings, relatives and dear ones in highly influential positions to earn them respect artificially from all the stakeholders. In this scenario, how can we expect millionaires and billionaires to keep their kingdoms of business in the hands of intelligent ones but not their kith and kin? When recruitments take place honestly in the public or private sector; when the talent and skills of candidates are identified and appreciated; when governments take strict measures to ensure right staff for key positions; when people and employees don’t care much about artificial and worthless bosses in their campuses or outside; this dirty game can be stopped altogether. As long as there are selfishness and corruption in the minds of entrepreneurs and governments, sinecures cannot be avoided. Geniuses and visionaries cannot change this world much when most of the companies and government agencies are without standards and values. Sinecures exert heavy pressure on exchequer.   

I: Why don’t they learn and improve according to their changing designations?

Kolan: Those in sinecures are generally kept there based on the kindness of others. It could be a rich entrepreneur in the private sector or a minister in government. Others cannot question them as they represent power and cruelty in the contemporary world. They assign most of their crucial works to their loyal and intelligent subordinates. When great results emerge, they take that credit completely. If you observe the way of the world, you would notice that those in highly key positions are being paid hugely and treated greatly in comparison to those working hard at ground level. It has been happening for decades. Those with sinecures don't have pressure on them from others. They may take quite foolish and stupid decisions at times but others have to follow them without questions and doubts. They are like imposed villains in our lives. They block the growth of the companies and countries directly and indirectly remaining complacent, outdated and eccentric for years together. They may be engineers, doctors, teachers or accountants. If a teacher, who entered that profession illegally and immorally, fails to teach well to his students, their lives get spoilt. If an engineer fails to follow standards and values in construction of various buildings for the governments or people, damages and disasters are bound to occur. If a foolish doctor treats patients, they may die. If an accountant has no accounting and auditing knowledge, he may commit errors and blunders. So, sinecures are a curse to the contemporary society.

I: What are the negative effects of sinecures on a company or country in the long run?

Kolan: When idiots are allotted key positions in a company or government, they attract and encourage such rogues in their domain of businesses or activities. In course of time, only idiots remain at the top level in hierarchy. They don’t give freedom to their subordinates. Thus inefficiency and incompetence occupy the places of honesty, hard work and intelligence everywhere. It’s like cancer. We cannot defeat it but remain as permanent victims to it. This is what is happening across companies and governments in the world now. Fools and dullards instruct the intelligent and challenging ones what to do or not to do. All stakeholders suffer in the long run. Progressive change remains dead in documents. Anarchy prevails everywhere. Easy money circulates in the economy. Virtuous ones would be ridiculed and punished. Vice would be honoured and encouraged. The poor and helpless ones suffer immensely in all societies.

I: What are the major contributing factors to rise of sinecures in the present times also?

Kolan: Excessive and irrational love and attachment towards those of our family, community, religion, region, language, race and gender. If we observe the ratio of employees in many multinational companies also, those who are close to the top management assume key positions. When we stop considering the standards and values of those we keep in key positions, our firms and organizations fail to do wonders. We should recruit highly talented and honest ones into our units of operations. They should not accept the proposals of the management readily but carry out deep analysis about the consequences of those measures, policies and programs. When we keep our dear ones in important positions, we cannot question them strongly when they do something wrong because of our soft corner for them. If we deploy outsiders in such positions, we can give them freedom to implement ultimate policies and measures minding the long-term growth of our organizations. Nepotism should be avoided completely in private and public sectors. Only qualified, talented and sincere candidates must head different departments everywhere.

I: Do you believe that those who assume key positions in an organization just due to the generosity of those entrepreneurs work honestly for the growth of those business entities?

Kolan: We should not trust anybody blindly, including our children, wife and parents. When we offer great positions to many of our close ones out of goodness, they become a strong syndicate within that organization soon. They know the secrets and standards of that organization. If the management does not satisfy them continuously with lucrative offers of pay, facilities and privileges, they turn into enemies soon. We should keep proper checks and balances in every workplace. We should get crucial data and inputs from our secret agents in all our firms. We know about quite tragic developments in many organizations now. Children killing their parents; clashes among siblings for the ownership of property of deceased parents and so on. We should inculcate virtues in all those working in key positions in our organization. When superiors think and behave honestly, their subordinates do wonders for them. We should not hesitate to fire anybody that commits blunders or frauds in our working environment. It could be our sons, daughters or anybody else. Standards and values of a candidate must be our criterion of consideration and selection but not the idea of how much he or she is related to us. Those in whom we repose ultimate trust turn into our traitors soon. When we are sick or helpless, they get all the property transferred to their ownership. We should not be in a pitiable position wherein our staff members can dictate us terms and conditions. Many companies collapsed just because of trust of the management in the wrong ones. We should punish wrongdoers, at any level, to improve the morale of employees working there. They should feel an indirect warning of the organization that fraudsters would be sacked immediately and punished appropriately. Identifying and encouraging the right ones in right positions and discouraging and punishing unscrupulous ones is very important for the successful functioning of any system of operations. This happens only when the top level management wish to run their business entities based on high standards and values of their staff members. Everybody should be trained and expected to do the job according to the set standards and values of high moral and legal practices.