‘Messy’ is the mildest word to describe the shameful free for all fight which took place at the “Hallowed Chambers” of the Rivers State House of Assembly among people called ‘Honorables’ on July 9, 2013. In what has added to the uncivilized profile of the state, Hon Chidi Llyod used mace, a symbol of authority to hit the head of a fellow legislator, Hon Michael Chinda for usurping of office. On Oct 5, 2012, Rivers had made international horror headlines following the barbaric killing of the quartet- Chiadika Lordson Biringa, Ugonna Kelechi Obuzor, Mike Llyod Toku and Takena Friday Elkanah- of Uniport in Umuokiri village, Aluu, Ikwerre L. G. A. of the state. As the world is trying to forgo the horror of ‘Port Harcout 4’, the state has released another horror album. When I saw the fight in graphic details my surprise was that of a man from my village who came back from Lagos so excited that he saw snuff and palm wine there. I lifted up my hands in thanksgiving to God that it wasn’t in Ebonyi.
Honestly, if the two recent barbaric incidents which Rivers state has exported to the world were to have occurred in Ebonyi, abuses would have been let loose upon the sensibility of people hitherto regarded as missing link between apes and Homo sapiens despite significant departure from the norms of the past. Just because Ebonyi State House of Assembly suspended a colleague for plying ‘Okada’ and another for improper dressing, the media outrageously labeled the legislative house a ‘social club.’ People wait to see Ebonyi score it wrongly as if incivility is another name for the state. Last year, Gov Elechi was forced to suspend some of his commissioners for improper dressing to state function. His action was perfectly understood in the spirit of how people perceive the young state as consisting of bush men.
Now, come to think of five members of Ebonyi House of Assembly commencing proceedings to impeach Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku and Hon. Samuel Nwali breaking in to hit Hon. Ogbonna Nwifuru while Hon Enyi C. Enyi and Hon Vincent Nwibo take to their heels. Imagine Hon Oliver Nwachukwu coming in later to give a valedictory speech as newly elected speaker by one fifth minority vote. Imagine how media will ridicule the consonance of these names. God forbid! Apologies to my Honorable friends! These
It is ironical that unfortunate developments which portray Nigeria’s democracy in bad light always come from the so-called ‘developed states’. It was not in Ebonyi state that a serving governor was kidnapped by outlaws who operate within government circle. The worry is that when it happens within those states, they are seen as democracy in action. Take for instance; the activities of ‘Abuja Group’ in Ebonyi state received more media publicity than the kidnapping of Dr. Chris Ngige as the serving governor of Anambra by men with political connection.
The development in Rivers State House of Assembly is consequential as it is symptomatic. It is a decay sign of a household. A family decays when the centre no longer holds. The apple cart of politics in Rivers has been upset. If mace is a symbol of authority, by shattering it in Rivers every authority has been dissolved and a reign of anarchy ushered. People’s Democratic Party has become a shadow of itself as both parties to the conflict have demonstrated attitudes of children in a family where everybody is equal. The scenario is similar to what I witnessed fourteen years ago when one woman in our neighbourhood took mortar to pound her husband during one of their routine home misunderstandings.
Besides its damaging effect on our democracy, the fracas cut deep into the sensibility of Africans in general and Nigerians in particular. It has erased progress we have made in the march to civility. Ordinarily, leaders ought to be more refined than the people they represent; only the best can direct and pilot people’s destiny. Being a leader presupposes mastery over certain things. A leader for instance ought to be slow to anger and demonstrate maturity when, where and how his emotion is challenged. If those chosen to make laws would convert their legislative chamber into boxing ring and symbol of authority into weapon, then Nigeria’s corporate image as a democracy is painfully dented.
The drama has indicted our process of choosing leaders. It has clearly shown that the best of Nigerians never smell leadership role. It has buttressed a fact already known to international community that criminality is the first credential for a would-be leader in Nigeria. We are in the country ruled by might, where order has no place. And when the brutes clinch the giddy position, they ignore the wise and begin to equate money with wisdom. Come to imagine Dame Patience Jonathan, a woman who has no regard for grammatical concord arguing with the wordsmith, Prof Wole Soyinka. What on earth would have propelled the sage to stoop so low to trade words with Mrs. Jonathan if not power?
Generally, Houses of Assembly enjoy many legal privileges. Security operatives are for instance debarred by law from arresting any legislature within the chamber. This immunity stems from respect which ought to be given to the sacred institution which makes laws, defines limits and operation of human freedom and guarantees equitable sharing of rights and privileges. The fight at the hallowed chamber of Rivers state House of assembly was therefore a desecration of legal institution.
Besides, nothing is stranger than the attempt by five persons to set aside the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria and impeach a speaker in a 32-member legislature. This is a sheer madness which if established as being speculated that it has presidential blessing spells disaster ahead. The purported impeachment of Hon. Otelemaba Amachree and election of Bapakaye Bipialaka is a rape of democracy which calls for serious prosecution to deter similar occurrence.
Nothing about the fracas is worth remembering. One is wont to ask why flying Hon Chinda abroad for medical treatment? Are there no more hospitals in Rivers? How can tax payers’ monies be spent treating outlaw. The development in Rivers state is simply unacceptable in a democracy struggling to wiggle out its many mistakes. Nigerians need to raise up in mass and shout ‘never again.’
