My thoughts on a Sunday.
I have been thinking….a lot! 🤔
About an older woman (who served as a senator).
She would have us believe that in the senate, there is no gender i.e no male or female, only ‘persons’.
She was alluding to fact that there is fairness and uprightness in the ‘hallowed’ chambers.
I have been thinking…🤔
About an older man who said that women should be subjected to psychological evaluation before they are allowed to contest for elections.
Since he did not distinguish between past and present female law makers, it means that he was also referring to the senator who postulated that there are only ‘persons’ in the senate. No male, no female as well as the three female senators.
Yet, he was not lampooned.
I have also been thinking…….
About how a female senator and her supportive husband shared a quiet, private moment for a minute, just before she left him to submit her petition.
And they were castigated for desecrating the ‘hallowed hallway’ of the senate.
Yet, when a male senator brashly paraded his many wives (like sheep to the slaughter) in the ‘hallowed chambers’ (not the hallway) It was not considered to be a desecration of it’s ‘hallowedness,’.
Let me ruminate some more….🤔
About the male senators who have had altercations or breached the rules and been disciplined.
And the fact that no one saw it fit to dig into their private lives, in order to sling mud at them.
Yet, for a female senator in a similar position. It was a different story.
She was vilified for being beautiful.
She was vilified over her private life.
She was vilified over her clothing!
She was vilified for crying out against abuse.
One after the other, they went on air to discredit her.
In a bid to silence her.
They meted out punishment that is not only illegal and an abuse of democracy (Reference the 2018 case of Abdulmumin Jibrin) but akin to killing an ant with a sledge hammer.
They treated with disregard, two fundamental principles of natural justice and fairness in law.
Nemo judex in causa sua (no one should be a judge in their own case)
Audi alteram partem (hear the other side)
They also treated with disregard, a stay of execution order from the court.
The persons who cried foul about the breach of the senate rules of procedure, are the same persons who disregarded an order from the court.
Was there no better way to have responded even if they considered it an infringement of their powers?
Should he who comes to equity not come with clean hands?
Are there really only ‘persons’ in the senate? Is there fairness, justice and equity? I think not!
Justice must not only be done, it must manifestly be seen to be done.
However, this case has only brought to light a deeper malaise.
The senate is a microcosm of the nation.
What we see playing out there is the same thing that occurs in our organisations, homes and even the ordinary man on the street, everyday. Misogyny and corruption.
To pretend to be blind to it, is to be complicit!
Our problem is not merely the number of female senators in the senate in comparison to the male.
It is much deeper! It is the ‘quality’ not only of the female but also the male law makers.
To change this, we desperately need a mindset change.
From top to bottom.
Without a mindset change, we will not have the right kind of electorate neither will we have the right kind of people elected, to represent us.
A mindset change will give birth to behavioural change.
Equity, fairness, transparency and accountability must become our watchword.
Only then will Nigeria begin to blossom.
I dream of a great Nigeria.
May it be so!
Enai Agodo
9th March 2025.
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