MY EXPERIENCE AT THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TODAY

Fellow Nigerians, I have to be honest with you: I'm on the verge of giving up on this country. But when I remember that real human lives are at stake here, I cannot but continue pushing.

My experience at the House of Assembly complex in Nkaliki, Abakaliki today has really filled me with a lot of despair. I got there around 9 a.m. only to discover that the gate was locked and everywhere was deserted. So, I decided to ask around why it was so. Someone directed me to read the notice placed at the gate. It was then I discovered that the entire legislative arm of this country has been on strike for about 6 weeks and nobody is talking about it. The notice at the gate dated March 21 2021 stated that all the staff members of the National Assembly, the Legislative Service Commission, and the houses of assembly of the 36 states of Nigeria were to continue with their strike - and yet, no one has been talking about it! 

Tell me how a country that calls itself a democracy has remained without the parliaments at all the levels for about 6 weeks - at least 6 weeks now! I actually agreed with the legislative staff when I read the reason for their strike: they are asking for the legislative arm of the government to be granted financial autonomy from the executive so that they would be able to perform their role of checks and balances without being controlled by the executive arm. What this means - substantially - is that Nigeria has not had a true democracy all these years! Yes, since the executive arm has been using finances to control the parliamentary decisions, resolutions, and actions at all the levels of government.

No wonder the President of Nigeria, for example, has obviously been using his terrorist kins to kill Nigerians without respite for long six years, BUT NO PARLIAMENT HAS EVER CHALLENGED HIM FOR ONCE. What else could be worse than the citizens of a country being denied their right to life again and again by a sitting president? Yet, have you seen any parliament defending the citizens against this brazen human right abuse and terrible abuse of office all these years? Now, if the so-called legislative arm has not performed the basic duty of defending the citizens against such a profound level of abuse, of what use has such a legislature been? And, it has been so majorly because the same executive arm they were meant to check is the one that controls its resolutions and decisions by controlling its finances. Talk about paying the piper and dictating the tune!?!

Oh, Nigerians, I'm in pains, deep pains indeed! Please, kindly help to suggest: what should I do now? I could not continue my protest because I couldn't be displaying my placards to stones and trees. But I still need to continue based on what I am seeing: the imminent war that may well be already at our doorsteps. Please, suggest to me.

Also, please, I have created a petition demanding an immediate end to open grazing in the country. You can sign it here. Please, I urge you to sign it because, without signing it, you are indirectly agreeing with President Buhari and his kins that YOUR life worths less than the life of a cow. Thanks.

PLEASE NOTE: Because I was prepared for the worst today at the House of Assembly, I left my phone at home. It's why I couldn't take pictures.