There is a Yoruba saying:ko si ba se ma se se ebolo ti ko ni run igbe. No matter how expensively garbed a beggar is, his beggarly mentality will have him betrayed.
These past few days, social media as well as the traditional media went agog with protests against the soulless wardrobe allowance of the members of the National Assembly. I am glad we are getting there gradually. My joy is that at the end, our consciousness will rise to a point that we will realize that the electors at all times retain the ultimate power to hire and fire at anytime, not necessarily only during the election year. There is a part of the constitution that says we can recall any elected official that is misbehaving or not performing to expectation. But I beg to differ on the recent hashtags because they are just unnecessary. Very unnecessary I must add.
Haven’t you read in the book of Political Insouciance, that it is better for millions of the populace to go hungry while their representatives loom large in opulence?
Haven’t you also read that it is better to clothe lawmakers because they are usually in a maddening state of nakedness anytime, anyway?
Just few weeks ago, I wrote about the pricey mementoes shared during the election period where I witnessed a particular contestant (now a Senator), throwing phones, GoTv, DSTv and gifting generators to the people of his constituency. I pointed out that such a ‘Progressive’ will stop at nothing to break even and even make humongous profit that will make the worst Shylock to cringe.
In case, you don’t know, the amnesty granted the ‘freedom fighters’ like Tompolo, Asari, Boyloaf and the rest of them that made us witness a ‘lasting peace’ in the Niger-Delta region should be consolidated by extending same to the people of this seeming cesspit because it would signify a rascal less on the street, a swindler less on the street, a ‘druggist’ less on the street, a paedophile less on the street, a prostitute less on the street, a killer less on the street. Isn’t it in the best interest of the nation if we have these people kept in a place and have them adorned with the best perfumery from Arabia to keep them from smelling of crime?
A man or woman whose mind operates at a high degree wavelength of corruption and whose heart is cold to the common yearning of the people – quality life- cannot be attuned to being a true representative of the people. The so-called progressives are closing ranks in this show of cold affection that has sedated them to the plight of the people. If not that we are still enslaved to the parochial politics of imposition, I know a certain principal officer in the House of Representatives who is widely known to be a buffoon in his constituency. He is one of the people justifying the billions of naira budgeted for the Assembly men. The same buffoon and his likes will sit, snore and only vote ay or nay yet he will want to wear expensive garbs at the expense of people he is voted to serve while they go naked.
A Robin Hood showmanship was put up by a certain entertainer turned politician who is trying his best shots at becoming populist in orientation. In case you don’t know Robin Hood, he is that Prince of the thieves who would rob the rich and give the loot to the poor. When I was young I saw him as a hero but looking closely as I grow older, I see that his acts of benevolence do not stop him from being referred to as a thief. If you would accept the bogus allowance in the face of our dwindling economic situation and try to be a populist by donating such to some perceived suffering individuals, you are no better than a Robin Hood.
Hack all the unreasonable allowances then we will start looking at you as a reasonable set of people with one eye.
Adebayo Coker is a wordsmith. Societal Fragments, A Man Like Me: Noteography Of A Father To His Sonand Wobbled Wordsare his published works. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. @adebay_c
