Sometime ago, the overall members of the Houses of Assembly in both the South-East and South-South geo-political zones in Nigeria marketed or paraded a seeming formidable association among them.
Having thought it wise to exercise a single voice, the members of the aforesaid legislative chambers came up with a ‘Coalition of South-East and South-South Legislators’.
As a matter of fact, the members of the said union ably led by the then Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim premiered their Parliamentary Conference six years back, precisely on 15th July 2016, with the theme ‘Alternatives to militancy and the harmonization of South-East/South-South grazing reserve proposals’.
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During the conference, which was hosted in Imo State by the Imo House of Assembly, the astute lawmakers unanimously opposed the Grazing Reserves Bill, which was at the time lying on the floor of the National Assembly (NASS).
The epochal parliamentary sitting, presided over by all the speakers of the Houses of Assembly in the two zones, equally reached other resolutions regarding the ongoing militant attacks in the Niger-Delta region to include, to urge the Federal Government (FG) to reassess and revisit the performance of the Amnesty Programme, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP).
Furthermore, to urge: the NASS to ensure the accelerated passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the FG to enter into peaceful dialogue with the critical stakeholders in the region as well as review the ownership of Oil Blocks in the country towards giving at least 65% ownership to the Niger-Delta people as against the present situation where the people in question control barely about 10%.
In his address, Rt. Hon Ihim who as at then doubled as the Vice-President of the African Commonwealth Parliament (ACP), having disclosed how elated he was to be honoured as the leader of the body, categorically stated that the coalition among the legislators was targeted toward bringing dividend of democracy to the entire citizens of the region and Nigeria at large.
According to Rt. Hon Ihim, the members of the region had something in common, thus needed to operate as one body.
However, as at then, in my usual style, I made it clear that there were some fundamental and rudimentary factors the concerned lawmakers needed to acknowledge if truly they were out for business, but not business as usual.
No doubt, any right thinking or sane individual would boldly attest to the fact that the state legislators in question succeeded in making a history by coming up with this amalgamation. But it was pertinent to note that it wasn’t all about making history; rather, sustaining it.
Most people invariably strive towards making history, forgetting that it is unequivocally better not to make a history than to make one that wouldn’t stand the test of time.
What’s the essence of history if your unborn children cum grandchildren wouldn’t live to celebrate it? A good history made, is meant to be discussed by all and sundry many years after the eternal departure of the person(s) who made it.
To this end, we are expected to be more concerned with what becomes the fate of the awaited history rather than what we stand to gain on that very day the history would be made or be recorded in the Guinness Book of Record.
It was the great Irish Philosopher in the person of Edmund Burke that said ‘Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.’ In his words, Thomas Jefferson equally said ‘I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.’
Furthermore, on a very succinct note, Plato hinted ‘Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.’ All these, summarily indicate that the beauty of life never lies in making history, but ensuring that the history made lives to withstand the future.
As if I reacted as a seer, it’s so unfortunate that presently, no one hears about the said coalition of lawmakers in the aforementioned region in Nigeria. The current picture is just exactly as I rightly foresaw, which necessitated the advice I tendered therein. But it’s so appalling that none of the counsels was heeded by the affected individuals.
It’s not anymore news that Nigerian leaders, particularly politicians, are very good and talented in coming up with laudable initiatives or policies, but usually encounter series of crises while implementing them or in the process of their sustenance.
It’s equally imperative to note that the resolutions made by the lawmakers during their first outing ended up being swept under the carpet. Such tradition, which is not peculiar to the said legislators, has so far caused enormous harm to the Nigerian polity in its entirety.
As a people, we are not bound to do something in order to receive thunderous praises from the onlookers; rather, ought to vigorously strive to bring a positive change that would surely attract unending applauses contrary to the anticipated temporary applause.
Thus, it’s about being real and endeavouring to face reality at all times. This was the reason, having appreciated that set of ‘impeccable’ lawmakers for coming up with that commendable historic coalition, I as well enjoined them to concentrate on the future towards sustaining the coalition.
I equally appealed to them, at the time, to extend hands of fellowship to their counterparts in the South-West geo-political zone with a view to boasting of a coalition of southern legislators, which undoubtedly would go a very long way to ensure the politicians in the region deliberate with one voice, just as it’s the case in the North. But it was also apparently given a deaf ear.
In the same vein, it’s noteworthy that the wives of the governors in the Southern region came up with a coalition joining all of them. But at the moment, absolutely nothing is heard about the association, which was then described by the onlookers as commendable.
Nigerian legislators ought to acknowledge at all times that they are representing a set of individuals known as constituents, hence must invariably live up to the expectations.