Nigeria’s National Assembly or National Assembly of Non-Patriots?
A man is a patriot if his heart beats true to his country, patriotism is a thing of the heart – this is Charles Jefferson’s description of Patriot. To me, patriotism is this - the sacrifice of personal interest to public welfare.
In the last few weeks, I have been ‘digging deep’ into our National Assembly’s unpatriotic and unsympathetic love for Nigeria and most especially, their non-existing sacrifice for the people who entrusted them with powers to legislate laws. While patriotism is often extolled as an unquestionable value, the status of patriotism is a problem for many thoughtful people. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
Few months ago, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) described the move by Nigeria's federal lawmakers to spend N5.5billion on luxury cars as "unjust and unfair to Nigerians". One will assume that at this moment, a reasonable National Assembly truly representing the people will boycott all extravagance for the sake of their constituents; but the case in Nigeria is a far cry. A howling sum of N5.5bn will be moved to another economy while our indigenous auto-mobile firms scramble for survival? It contradicts the constitutional oath of office made by members to perform their duties in the interest of the well-being and prosperity of Nigeria, and its citizens, as contained in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).
One singular act of our Federal Legislators that irks me so much, and I know will do same to all well-meaning Nigerians is their perpetual nonchalance when it comes to the welfare of the masses. The ad hoc Welfare Committee set up by the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, did not recommend the purchase of Sports Utility Vehicles assembled by local firms as official vehicles for members. This committee was saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the allocation of offices to members and regulates loans for officials’ vehicles and accommodation. Annoying as it sounds, the panel purportedly overruled propositions by some members to support local automobile firms. But when confronted, this was their response: “It was true that we measured suggestions in some quarters to patronize the automobile firms in Nigeria but the fear of their products’ quality, stalled the plans. Since the vehicles would be given to members on loans, we should be careful not to purchase vehicles that we may not be able to guarantee their quality and durability.”
No doubt, this is legitimate because a resolution has even predated this dispensation for top government officials including legislators and judicial officers to get car allowances upon assuming public offices in Nigeria. The question now will be, can we continue this? Working or official vehicles for our legislators are not in question if they choose to get it from their private purse and not at the expense of our economy or helpless Nigerians.
We [Nigerians], as a result of past experiences have lost faith in the National Assembly and we can no longer see them as partners in making Nigeria great again.
Frankly, we will continue to see them as a selfish group of people who rode on the back of unsuspecting populace to power and as such, took their [people] docility as an excuse to be unsympathetic; and insensitive to the plights of those who voted them in.
To be patriotic in whatever cause is synonymous to being honourable, while no worse charge can be brought against a man in popular estimation than to say he is unpatriotic.
We may not have the patience to allow them [politicians] revive their senses of patriotism towards Nigerians before we declare them “Enemies of Nigeria.”