It is something that agitates the mind that the moment the word “senate” or “senator” is mentioned these days in the general public, the response is almost always one of disdain and contempt. Tracking back to the early days of democratic rule in Nigeria, it has not always been like that. But perhaps, in the midst of these troubling times, it is possible that many among the populace might indeed have forgotten the true meaning of those words. Who is a senator, in the real sense of the word? And why has it become almost like a taboo in the Nigerian public space to be associated with this word that is well-known and associated with wisdom and honour all over the world? How can the Nigerian legislature redeem itself in the eyes of the citizens and regain its past glory? This is the crux of the matter.
The word “senate” has its origin from the Roman Senate called the “Senatus” in Latin, which means “assembly of elders or old men”, and therefore considered wiser and more experienced members of the society or the ruling class. Whether this definition fits into that of the present-day upper chamber in Nigeria is a matter for the reader to judge. What is clear is that wherever public apathy rears its ugly head, something untoward must have led to it. Why do Nigerians, particularly ordinary citizens – if there is any such thing – appear to hate their representatives in the senate? Are the Nigerian senators no longer honourable?
It has long been established that one major cause of public contempt and apathy towards a public institution is repeated incidents of scandalous conduct or outright contempt towards the citizens by the actors within the institution. Inasmuch as the people of this country desire that they be proud of their parliament, the parliamentarians must pay heed to the wishes and aspirations of the people. The wisdom of Niccolo Machiavelli, though rather notorious, provides food for thought here: “All well-governed states and wise princes have taken care not to reduce the nobility to despair, nor the people to discontent.”
One or two historical antecedents of scandalous incidents capable of provoking public anger would be cited here for those who have ears to hear. There was a sting operation carried out in the US Congress in 1980, popularly known as the “Arab Scam”. The USD800,000 operation claimed the careers of six House Members and a Senator who were convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges after they were captured on video taking cash bribes from FBI Agents disguised as Arab Sheikhs. In the early nineties too, a case of sexual misconduct involving about ten women was brought against Sen. Bob Packwood, a Republican from Oregon. In the course of the investigations by the Senate Ethics Committee, Packwood, out of desperation to free himself, exclaimed, “I am accused of kissing women, not drugging, not robbing, but kissing!” The Committee found him guilty and he was expelled from the Senate much to the chagrin of the people of Oregon and indeed the entire voting population of the United States.
Back home in Nigeria, the allocation of N70 billion disbursed among newly elected federal legislators, coupled with the N40 billion set aside for the purchase of bulletproof Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for principal officers and members, sparked off public outrage that further aggravated the mistrust between the citizens and the legislature, more so as these appropriations were made at a time the entire population is passing through excruciating economic pains resulting from oil subsidy removal and general poverty and insecurity in the land. The damage scandals can do to public institutions also becomes self-evident in the events of April 2018 when thugs invaded the Nigerian Senate, disrupted the plenary, and made away with the Mace, the symbol of authority of the parliament.
One recalls the good old sixties of Senate leaders like Dennis Osadebay, Nwafor Orizu, and the nineties that brought in the likes of Iyorchia Ayu and Chuba Okadigbo. Despite the troubles of their time, there was always a flurry of excitement within and outside the Senate whenever these gentlemen stepped into the hallowed chambers for plenary, and they commanded a great deal of public respect. That ‘ordinariness’ that belittles the parliament was completely absent because members carried themselves with utmost dignity, projecting in place of extravagance and opulence the virtue of humble and modest frugality as a mark of true leadership.
The truth of the matter is that, as they say in common parlance, “You are addressed the way you are dressed.” Trust is not a free meal; it has to be earned. It is therefore incumbent on the Senate to strive to earn public trust by prioritizing the interest and welfare of the citizens over and above every other consideration. The Senator worth his name and title knows that the hallowed chambers of a nation is neither a place for jamborees, moonlight tomfoolery and shenanigans, nor an avenue for self-aggrandizement and condescending conduct. Rather, it is a sacred national institution next only to the presidency, where the destiny of the nation is aggregated and made manifest by means of intellectual debate and sound legislation under the leadership of a focused and articulate Senate President.
*Anthony-Spinks, Functioning Director-General, Delta State Public Procurement Commission, writes from Asaba.
