Paradoxically, periods of celebrations and enjoyment are also periods of hard work. To that extent, the politician or any government official for that matter, has been extra-busy lately.
As we speak, the Federal Appropriations process is still hanging in the balance, which means that all those involved with the process have had busy days and sleepless nights.
This is one way of explaining why we have decided to provide a soft landing for our esteemed readers into the new year with one in the series of our memories of the unusual due to space constraint, this piece is able to accommodate only 3 items.
1. MAJORITY/MINORITY RELATIONS: The House of Representatives of the First National Assembly once received a powerful delegation of about 20 members of the Egyptian Parliament.
As soon as they were seated, the Speaker, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, called on a member of the Opposition UPN, Professor Opeyemi Ola, to address them.
A storm of indignation burst forth. Why should an opposition be given the role that belongs to the majority party, the NPN? The NPN came slightly short of pulling down the parliament buildings! Finally, they walked out of the House Chambers in protest.
Professor pretended that nothing happened. He had enough adjustments to make and there was enough time to do them. First, he adjusted the microphone to his petit size. Then, he adjusted his “ayepe lace” – one buba and shokoto, which he wore so often that one might think that was all he had. He was ready.
Soon after that, the protesting NPN members called off their protest and returned to the Chamber. The House was called to order.
The professor of Political Science went to town. Was that a tsunami or an earthquake? Everywhere was shaking. Prof. glued himself to the microphone and they moved together. It was an inaugural lecture like no other. He also received a standing ovation like no other. The visiting parliamentarians and protesting members became the captains of the applause! In a manner of speaking, the entire Chamber was aflame! We all had fun.
2. HOW NOT TO TREAT A SENATOR: Many things happened at the early stage of our political evolution – the good, the bad and the ugly! The debates on the Electoral Act, 1982 were quite boisterous. On occasions, members came close to exchanging blows. Several Conference Committees on the subject were deadlocked.
Finally, a Conference Committee at which the issue MUST be resolved was fixed for 1pm, the following day. We printed ID cards to enable only members of the committee and 2 staff members to go into the Senate Building, where the committee room was located. We contacted the Inspector General of Police to provide mobile policemen to enforce discipline at the entrance of the Senate Building and the venue of the meeting. A busload of MOPOL was dispatched from Calabar and they travelled all night. At Tafawa Balewa Square, they were located at strategic positions with instructions not to allow anyone without the ID to go into the Senate Building.
Then came the late Senator Abraham Adesanya [(1922-2008) (UPN/igebu-Igbo, Ogun state)]. He didn’t know what was happening. The arrangements were made after the close of business the previous day. He insisted he was going to his office. The MOPOL demanded for the ID. He had none. MOPOL asked him to go back. He refused. MOPOL reached for his horse whip and decided to make the instruction more direct; as he was saying “guo back”, the koboko was landing on Adesanya all over. Adesanya refused to move and MOPOL refused to stop flogging him.
I was in my office at the Red Bricks Building when my staff rushed in, “Oga, MOPOL de beat Senator Adesanya”. I looked down and saw the koboko being reigned on him. What do I do? I had never been that confused in my life.
My first reaction was to rush down to stop the onslaught. They held me back, “Oga, don’t go there. The man can flog you along”.
I quickly reached the office of the Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas (1941 – 2021), by intercom and asked for help. The Senate President rushed down quickly but the deed was already done.
We thought Adesanya had gone to treat and lick his wounds. He was still able to put some affidavits together; and he landed at the Igbosere Magistrate Court. That culminated in the case of Senator Abraham Adesanya vs. the Inspector General of Police. The case moved quite rapidly; and in no distant time, Adesanya came to show us the N10,000.00 cheque he got as damages from the assault case.
3. FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL: The reactionary nature of the average Nigerian is not something new. Elsewhere, people would envision problems and put plans in place for the problem whenever it came. Such people are not consumed by the problems when they occur.
But the Nigerian would rather wait for the problem to arrive; and he would begin to throw bundles of Naira at it. Sorry, it is too late. That’s why we are where we are.
This writer has visited most national assemblies and parliaments of the Free World. Nowhere did I notice any assembly where you could have unfettered access to all parts of the assembly, as existed at Tafawa Balewa Square at the inception of the Second Republic.
It took the malfeasance of Hon. Sidi Alli (PRP/Kano) to begin to scamper for change in this direction.
That fateful morning, Sidi Alli walked freely into the Chamber of the House of Representatives. The House was fully prepared for the day’s plenary. He sought the permission of the Speaker to present a matter of urgent public importance.
He had the floor and he proceeded: “Mr. Speaker, I told you I had some problems with you. I had a problem with members of my party from Kano. You didn’t help me. I have come to tell you that I can now help myself.”
At this point, he unzipped his bag and brought out a gun, which he angrily slammed on my table.
The Chamber was frozen and there was dead silence. The Speaker kept calling him “Sidi, let me have the gun … Let me have it …”. Sidi was too angry to listen to anyone. I abandoned my seat and went to take cover under the staircase.
Meanwhile, the Sergeant-At-Arms came and took both Sidi Alli and his gun away.
The House adjourned abruptly and reconvened a few hours later. The House had gone into Executive Session and on reconvening, it announced that a six-month suspension had been slammed on Sidi Alli.
Unarguably, every beginning is difficult, no matter how small. It took all the ugly episodes to begin to provide some semblance of security in our Legislative Houses – things that could have been effortlessly provided at the beginning.
HERE’S WISHING OUR NUMEROUS ESTEEMED READERS A HAPPY NEW YEAR; AND A NEW YEAR FULL OF CONTENTMENT.
