Nigerian-lawmakers-and-their-misplaced-priorities
September 7, 2020 | News
NIGERIAN LAWMAKERS AND THEIR MISPLACED PRIORITIES
My hearts ache, every time that I consider the existing structure, character, often disposition of, and attitude towards statutory functions/duties exhibited by - Nigerian lawmakers, which often times paint a picture of legislators that clearly do not fully understand their roles, the demands of their positions and the seriousness this portend in nation-building.
I was disgusted by a short video making rounds across social media platforms recently, of Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, and an All Progressive Congress member representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, who, in a bid to demonstrate to his colleagues that he is supposedly a “powerful man” both at home and on the floor of the house, brought his (4) Four wives to the floor of the house of Representatives. While showing them off to his colleagues, Doguwa said he is a powerful man because he deals with four women, and he said the women have given him 27 children, saying he wants to have more. Doguwa’s comment came a few days after the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, said the culture of marrying many wives and producing many children is responsible for poverty and backwardness in the North. Sanusi argued that the region will continue to be backward if its people do not change their culture. Even though, Emir Sanusi II is not living by example, as he also married 4 wives, and even recently married an 18 years old girl who might be obviously younger than to his first child, but that is not even our concern here.
Aside what the Emir of Kano had said, the main issue here is, how on earth does Doguwa’s action at the floor of the House equate to discussions of National Interests? As a Representative lawmaker, what positive development has he brought to his constituency and Nigeria? If his idea of being a powerful lawmaker as a Representative in the Lower Chamber, is to have four wives and 27 children, then Nigeria is doomed. The sad thing is that most Nigerians (including his "(dis)honourable" colleagues and The Speaker of the House) will just laugh and move on to the next social media post as humourous jest. The said Doguwa, might even get re-elected on the notoriety from this video! And the whole country will continue to suffer from his poor representation. While his brood of 27 children plus more, would continue to enjoy the privilege of jetting off to private schools abroad and holidays in Dubai; medical trips in London, and so on.
Are these the kind of legislators that will make good laws for us? I blame the Nigerian elites, and of course, the masses as well, who had given the opportunity to this kind of person to be a lawmaker. A man who arrogantly bragged about his wives and manhood strengths in bed, and make it a national issue on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives, is just one out of the kind of stock of politicians we have in different leadership positions in the country. The Nigerian National Assembly has become a ‘theatre house’ of some sort - where movies are acted to entertain the general public and the international community. “Free cinema”, that is what they give the people. From their usual rowdy sessions, free-for-all fights/fisticuffs, empty seats during weekly sessions, the outrageous salaries/bonuses and ‘high-maintenance culture’ they allocate to themselves, refusal/unwillingness to resign to pave way/allow the law take its course especially when they have corrupt cases/charges hanging on their neck, their penchant to quickly pass Bills that would project and protect their interests but mindlessly and purposely delay the passage of Bills meant to improve the lot of Nigerians; to their lavish and wasteful lifestyles that have made many of them so greedy and willing to do anything to remain in office to maintain such lifestyles, and so on and so forth. The list is quite many if we are to state all the anomalies and things wrong with our Nigerian so-called lawmakers, all of which makes the National and State Assemblies to be in ‘a sorry-state’ as Institutions of legislature.
As we noted above, after four years, the said Doguwa will still be voted to another higher portfolio in the country’s political space. According to Smart Ofugara when analyzing the said video in the floor of the House, he said: "they are docile, without values, respect, morals, or obligations. No value for service, all they want is to grab, grab, and grab." The one that tops the list is their habit of sleeping-their-life-away during plenary sessions. Yet, we wonder why sensitive bills like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which they have turned into the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), and other sensitive and pressing Bills, have not received the attention they deserve for holistic passage into law. Be that as it may, Nigerian lawmakers at all levels should understand that they were elected by the people into their various Chambers “to serve the Nigerian masses” and nothing else, especially showing off the number of wives they can maintain. They should be ready and very willing to make all the necessary changes and adjustments required to become something at least close to that of their counterparts in US Congress or the UK Parliament.
Zik Gbemre.
February 5, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
My hearts ache, every time that I consider the existing structure, character, often disposition of, and attitude towards statutory functions/duties exhibited by - Nigerian lawmakers, which often times paint a picture of legislators that clearly do not fully understand their roles, the demands of their positions and the seriousness this portend in nation-building.
I was disgusted by a short video making rounds across social media platforms recently, of Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, and an All Progressive Congress member representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, who, in a bid to demonstrate to his colleagues that he is supposedly a “powerful man” both at home and on the floor of the house, brought his (4) Four wives to the floor of the house of Representatives. While showing them off to his colleagues, Doguwa said he is a powerful man because he deals with four women, and he said the women have given him 27 children, saying he wants to have more. Doguwa’s comment came a few days after the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, said the culture of marrying many wives and producing many children is responsible for poverty and backwardness in the North. Sanusi argued that the region will continue to be backward if its people do not change their culture. Even though, Emir Sanusi II is not living by example, as he also married 4 wives, and even recently married an 18 years old girl who might be obviously younger than to his first child, but that is not even our concern here.
Aside what the Emir of Kano had said, the main issue here is, how on earth does Doguwa’s action at the floor of the House equate to discussions of National Interests? As a Representative lawmaker, what positive development has he brought to his constituency and Nigeria? If his idea of being a powerful lawmaker as a Representative in the Lower Chamber, is to have four wives and 27 children, then Nigeria is doomed. The sad thing is that most Nigerians (including his "(dis)honourable" colleagues and The Speaker of the House) will just laugh and move on to the next social media post as humourous jest. The said Doguwa, might even get re-elected on the notoriety from this video! And the whole country will continue to suffer from his poor representation. While his brood of 27 children plus more, would continue to enjoy the privilege of jetting off to private schools abroad and holidays in Dubai; medical trips in London, and so on.
Are these the kind of legislators that will make good laws for us? I blame the Nigerian elites, and of course, the masses as well, who had given the opportunity to this kind of person to be a lawmaker. A man who arrogantly bragged about his wives and manhood strengths in bed, and make it a national issue on the floor of the Federal House of Representatives, is just one out of the kind of stock of politicians we have in different leadership positions in the country. The Nigerian National Assembly has become a ‘theatre house’ of some sort - where movies are acted to entertain the general public and the international community. “Free cinema”, that is what they give the people. From their usual rowdy sessions, free-for-all fights/fisticuffs, empty seats during weekly sessions, the outrageous salaries/bonuses and ‘high-maintenance culture’ they allocate to themselves, refusal/unwillingness to resign to pave way/allow the law take its course especially when they have corrupt cases/charges hanging on their neck, their penchant to quickly pass Bills that would project and protect their interests but mindlessly and purposely delay the passage of Bills meant to improve the lot of Nigerians; to their lavish and wasteful lifestyles that have made many of them so greedy and willing to do anything to remain in office to maintain such lifestyles, and so on and so forth. The list is quite many if we are to state all the anomalies and things wrong with our Nigerian so-called lawmakers, all of which makes the National and State Assemblies to be in ‘a sorry-state’ as Institutions of legislature.
As we noted above, after four years, the said Doguwa will still be voted to another higher portfolio in the country’s political space. According to Smart Ofugara when analyzing the said video in the floor of the House, he said: "they are docile, without values, respect, morals, or obligations. No value for service, all they want is to grab, grab, and grab." The one that tops the list is their habit of sleeping-their-life-away during plenary sessions. Yet, we wonder why sensitive bills like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which they have turned into the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), and other sensitive and pressing Bills, have not received the attention they deserve for holistic passage into law. Be that as it may, Nigerian lawmakers at all levels should understand that they were elected by the people into their various Chambers “to serve the Nigerian masses” and nothing else, especially showing off the number of wives they can maintain. They should be ready and very willing to make all the necessary changes and adjustments required to become something at least close to that of their counterparts in US Congress or the UK Parliament.
Zik Gbemre.
February 5, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes