Speaking Truth to Power: A Senate of Frivolities

I am neither surprised nor astonished about the sheer capacity of the Nigerian Senate to rise to the display of the ridiculous. They have already demonstrated that they are a House that abandons its legislative role to escort its President to attend his own criminal trial.  This Senate belittles the past contributions of past intellectual colossus in the ranks of Aja Wachukwu, Jonathan Odebiyi, Obi Wali, ‘Banji Akintoye, Uba Ahmed, et al.  It is obvious that it has its head screwed in the wrong place. One wonders if the Saraki trial becomes a daily affair, whether these characters will book permanent seats in the gallery of the courtroom to complete their cheerleading role.  They act as if we elected them to grandstand and place private interests above the national.  How does the criminal trial of one of the members of the Senate equate to an interest that commands their every presence.  One wonders whether this is indicative of an absurd morality, misplaced priorities or conflicted attitudes to the change the APC so earnestly promised us.

It is in this light that emergence of the Social media bill, one designed to tame the social media fits into their pattern for the ridiculous.  The media has been saturated with reports of the bill, it states:

‘The bill, titled: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith”, is sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South. The bill provides for an option of N4 million for persons convicted of false newspaper, radio and television statements and N2 million for offenders of false phone text messages or messages on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or WhatsApp. The bill also punishes alleged malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institutions of government.’

What is puzzling is that it is clear as the crystals displayed in the jewelry shops of Bond Street, London is why the Senate has nailed itself to such a legislative priority, in the face of economic turmoil, the war against corruption and other institutional issues the promotion of its own insecurities.  It demonstrates the bankruptcy of ideas that some of our ‘distinguished’ Senators are afflicted with.  They reveal through this bill that their interests are quite separate and independent from the vast majority of Nigerians.  They make it clear that their elections to the hallowed chamber is not as representatives of the masses but their own respective selfish interests.

One wonders whether the sponsor of the bill has identified deficiencies in the present laws of defamation but that will be to expect too much and require much more intellectual rigour and diligence, which many of the present crop of legislators do not possess. 

In the mean time whilst they engage in passing feeble resolutions and launching into meaningless initiatives, the country is groaning, cars are grounded, businesses are hampered, anti-corruption war is paralysed, and revenue keeps tumbling down.  But what is the answer our legislators present? None other than to dream of a meaningless and a senseless bill designed to shield them from the deluge of revelations coming their way.  How does this help the masses? For all the alleged excesses of Sahara Reporters, they are not our problem, you Senators led by Dr ‘Bukola Saraki are presenting yourselves as the great impediment to the change we so earnestly desire.

Its not too late to recalibrate your priorities and become a true voice of the Nigeria people, to respond and do what we elected you to do, to transform the landscape littered with so much hopelessness.

– Olu Ojedokun