Lest we forget: Of seductive Senate and sedating National Assembly
By Taiye Olaniyi
By Taiye Olaniyi
"Enu ki se lara a fo ikemu." Yoruba in this proverb are of the opinion that a person in whose hand a communal treasure got missing or destroyed will ever have his name disparaged in the society.
The Senate and allied assemblage in whatever political arrangement they find themselves remain a noble institution wherein are found men and women of noble character and honour.
Even at the citadel of learning which the university is, the Senate is a composite of great and very senior intelligentsia, the power brokers and dispensers of academic management and university administration in all its ramifications.
Whatever that is found in the upper membrane and hemisphere of societal life, the Senate, may end up having its membership, constitution and composition institutionalised and maybe deified in reverence.
Such is the case with the Senate, the upper chamber of the National Assembly in Nigeria whose members are usually referred to as distinguished senator this, or that.
Such taxonomy or appellation many still love to carry till death does them part from the Mother Earth.
The President of the Senate like that of the entire nation is equally sometimes and most times referred to respectfully as "His Excellency" as well as "Mr President" and thus serves the Shepherd of the flock of legislators who seem to have constitutional powers not only to make laws, bake, approve, disapprove, but also mend and bend laws depending on the dictates, vogues and fashion of the time and era.
Like saints, being in such an enviable and respectable hallowed chamber connotes worthiness of thoughts, words and actions as such are relatively sinless thus guided by purity of purpose and noble ideals for nation building.
However, and since no mortal is sinless, I admit that "For all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God," quoting the holy Bible.
So, it may be naive to associate and attribute sinlessness to occupants of the Nigerian Senate and the House of Assembly just as it would equally be naive for arrogation of respect to individuals whose consciences may convict as having woefully failed the commonman and the nation at large in legislative matters and extra-curricular activities.
No doubt the grandiose nature of the revered institution that the Senate is, but when certain individuals' attitudes ridicule the credibility of political office holders, things fall apart and the centre never holds intact for national progress.
The personality clashes at both individual and partisan basis till date remains cause for concern from one republic to another.
Media reports once had it that a year after the return of democracy from decades of military dictatorship, Nigeria witnessed a second incident of mace snatching at the National Assembly in Abuja. Just like the case in the Western Region but this resulted from a clash of interest between the former president Olusegun Obasanjo and the leader of the Senate Chuba Okadigbo.
Besides his early morning election melodrama, Senator Bukola Saraki as the 8th Senate President was full of sanity in action as his tenure was not just a rubber stamp Senate.
Corruption is an anathema , it is a dragon on the threshold of individual , collective and national advancement. Corruption and the recurrence of sexual waywardness are greatly denting the self-styled distinguished and honorable taxonomy adduced to the assemblage of the personages especially in the nation's National Assembly.
Or what do we attribute to a one time media report that:
“Nigeria’s youngest senator has been caught on camera physically assaulting a woman at an adult toy shop in Abuja.
Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District was elaborately denigrated by both the conventional and social media in their numerous reports of that incident. Abbo has since lost his seat.
Similarly and in the same vein, three Nigerian lawmakers were reported and accused by the United States of sexual misbehaviour while in that country. This story as usual was denied typical of any accusation at first sight against what Fela Anikulapo' referred to as, "Authority in Power."
In Nigeria, a nation of too many coverups especially when it involves the "Ogas" at the top always preferred for soft landing like the Biblical Barabas. "Nothing will happen" to such individuals, no remorse and they usually go scotfree and probably privileged and free to do more harm.
Outside the reports of Lawan and the dollar saga, we also had watched on numerous television stations reporting to one's surprise a number of lazy lawmakers that at one time or the other have gone to the National Assembly to showcase the number of their wives and children they rear like cattle.
To one's dismay, what should ordinarily be a reliable assembly simply relishes on washing the cup from outside while leaving the inside rotten.
Some members of the National Assembly have been accused of not having the credentials they lay claim to, rightly or wrongly.
Once upon a time and apparently later basking in the euphoria of being confirmed a university graduate after his academic credential was questioned, Dino Melaye, on a certain Monday appeared in the Senate wearing a purple academic gown.
The story was reported by the Prime News amongst other formidable Nigerian media organisations.
The vaults of the Nigerian nouveau riche may be full of earthly treasures, they wear garments made of gold but yet, their hearts are full of hidden grieving life encounters
Nigeria our beloved country is currently being jolted by the story of “If you Akpabio Me, I will Akpoti Natasha You" thus making"A" to be raised to power 2 while Beauty content and context = √ 2025 melodramatic personae nonsensical.
These unfortunate reflexes are daily dismantling the credibility and respect for numerous resourceful and patriotic citizens .
This therefore calls for collective combat with weapons enshrined with the daily thoughts, words and actions at building a virile nation.
Whoever, whenever and whatever any one with those who only take pride in their self comfort while Nigeria as a whole daily loses its credibility, it must be mentioned to them that: "When conscienceless power rules over powerless conscience, it is the former that first laughs but the latter laughs last and laughs best."
To battle corruption and its fallout of great global disrespect for average Nigerians, requires joint efforts at both individual and institutional levels of credibility.
It must be mentioned as a reminder to those powerful lots daily anchoring their lives and living on building only their political castles in the air, that, they like us are mere mortals.
I remember as if it were yesterday, that King Solomon had all the fame and fortune that any man could want. He was the world's wisest and wealthiest king. And yet, tragically, he threw it all away for the love of money, the pleasures of sex, and the powers of an earthly kingdom.
https://www.amazon.com
Further to this is Oliver Goldsmith's submission:
" You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips".
God Bless Nigeria.
Taiye Olaniyi, a retired postman, lives in Lagos