Godswill Akapbio, President of the Nigerian Senate, is a naturally privileged guy who has experienced tremendous grace in his life. His narrative as a semi-orphan who began as a teacher and rose to become governor, minister, senator, and now senate president of the world’s most populous black nation is quite amazing. Akpabio’s career path is not just inspiring. His relationship with women appears both encouraging and intriguing. Allegations of sexual harassment from two women, Joi Nuineh and Senator Natasha, as well as a purported romance with Dakore Egbuson-Akande, which were refuted by the actress are quite baffling.
The ‘gentleman’ from Ukana, Akwa-Ibom appears to be ladies-friendly or associates more with women, as correctly stated. It appears to be easier to chase a moving car than to find Akpabio having a brat with men. He rarely fights or has trouble with males. If a group of women isn’t protesting an award given to Akapbio, he’s making headlines for sexual harassment or mistreatment of women in public service. It worries me that Akapbio, who has never been accused of domestic abuse by his wife or any other woman, is the victim of sexual harassment by two women in civil and public service.
When I researched Akpabio and his relationships with women, I learned that there is a strong spiritual link between women and his rising popularity. Worse, for him, the boundary between women and his profile has recently become thinner, with the Senate President increasingly losing the ability to control the two extremes. It’s perplexing that he doesn’t seem to see the depth of spiritual link between the two extremes, why women constantly frown at him, accuse him of sexual harassment, and his rising profile. Despite swimming in a lake of sexual harassment charges, his wife’s support appears to strengthen the spirituality’s case. Three years after Joy Nunieh, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), accused him of sexual harassment as a Minister, Akapbio became Nigeria’s Senate President.
Having critically looked at the accusations of sexual harassment against Akapbio, I noticed a similar pattern – meetings and hotels. Coincidentally, it was on the same television station where Natasha made this claim that Nuineh granted an interview and leveled allegations against Akpabio. “Akpabio’s meetings with me were either at Apo or Meridien,” an angry Nunieh disclosed on national TV. Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe, on Arise TV, as reported by pmnewsnigeria, also disclosed that Natasha told her that she was supposed to discuss something with Akpabio, but he said to meet him at a hotel.
In response to Nunieh’s claims, Akpabio indicated that the former Acting MD of the NDDC was removed from office due to insubordination, not corruption. He also suggested that Joy Nunieh visit the hospital due to her attitude. During the session, Senator Natasha accused Senate President Akapbio of demeaning and bullying her, among other things, after she was denied the right to speak from her seat in violation of Senate rules.
Was Senator Natasha correct about the seat? No. The Senate has typically modified senators’ seats whenever senators switch from one political party to another to reflect the new event. Senator Ireti Kingibe reaffirmed this. Any senator who refuses to adjust to the newly assigned seats will not be recognized to speak from his or her prior seats. The Senate Chief Whip, when raising the motion, also read from the rules. Senator Natasha’s disruption of the plenary over seating arrangements is not grandstanding, but rather sheer idiocy and a lack of etiquette and manners. It not only demonstrates her young energy and entertainment skills, but it also supports ordinary Nigerians’ concerns about the Senate and House of Representatives being dominated by clowns. And I genuinely hope she is punished for her impolite actions on the floor of the house.
We can accuse Senator Natasha of being impolite or lacking etiquette, but we cannot dismiss her charges. Despite Senator Akpabio’s reputation as a ‘bad friend’ to women, I believe it is necessary to recall Natasha’s previous encounters with men. Senator Natasha charged Warri Kingdom’s Alema, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, of breaching the pledge of marriage, poisoning, foeticide, assault, inducing loss of amenities, and inflicting financial loss, among other things. Senator Natasha married her renowned tormentor, Chief Uduaghan, less than two years later.
Natasha also accused former presidential adviser Reno Omokri of sexual harassment in 2014, which he denied with evidence of his departure from the country. She then erased her posts, and the issue died organically. According to Lere Olayinka, Senator Natasha earlier accused former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello and former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye of sexual harassment. Senator Natasha seems to be unfortunate. She claims to have been harassed on a regular basis, but no one is being held accountable. There is no concrete evidence in public view. She was elected to the Senate after allegedly accusing Yahaya Bello of sexual harassment. She eventually married Senator Uduaghan after accusing him of poisoning and foeticide, among other things. I sincerely hope that this Akpabio problem will be resolved by the court rather than by friends and relatives. I expect damning revelations if Senator Natasha is not parroting as usual.
When I contacted a prominent Ifa priest regarding Godswill Akapbio’s travails, he mentioned Odu Ifa Osa Meji (Oosa Eleye), which translates to Ifa corpus of the Witches, uncommon huge birds in human shape. A further investigation indicated that if the Ifa corpus is disclosed to someone, it is recommended that the person offer sacrifice and heed warnings so that they do not go wrong. Ifa perceives women in two distinct shapes. Women are viewed as both good and bad entities. Ifa contains numerous legends concerning women’s deeds. Both nice and wicked ones. May we never have agbako obinrin (woman).
The embattled Lagos Speaker, Munirudeen Obasa, and four assembly members who had previously backed his removal from office burst into the assembly compound with police and DSS officials. While Obasa was displaying unlawful bravery and legislative thuggery, the police had removed her officers from the new Speaker, Meranda, but later returned them after being roundly chastised. The police said that they were reviewing their officers, which prompted the withdrawal of her men, but they did not reveal which cops followed Obasa into the assembly plant. Why weren’t they withdrawn?
According to reports, Obasa visited his previous office, took some files, and gave an interview to the press, asserting that he is still the Lagos Speaker and describing how he has been Tinubu’s son since leaving secondary school. The same ‘Asiwaju kid’ who launched a petition against the Lagos Assembly over his ouster as Speaker, which he called ‘unconstitutional,’ did not wait for the court’s decision. Rather, he attacked the assembly complex with the police, broke into his previous office, held a plenary with four assembly members, and the police have yet to come out to explain the specific order she is imposing as a social institution of law. Instead, the police made things worse. The cops claimed they had been deceived. Is it an intelligence report or an order? Whose order?
The attack on the legislative branch spearheaded by the executive or individuals is not new. The Lagos scenario is just another example of purposeful derision directed at the lawmakers. Have you forgotten that thugs hijacked the Oyo parliament and later impeached a sitting governor? Do you recall when members had to cross the National Assembly barrier to attend plenary? We identified pockets of shame in state legislatures and at the federal level.
From Oyo to Ekiti to Ogun to Imo to Lagos, the recurring display of shame in the legislature with the help of the police should concern any supporter of democracy and the rule of law. I am confident that the recent display of shame in the Lagos assembly complex will fade with time, but we must be prepared to hold individuals accountable and punish them in accordance with the law in order to prevent a recurrence. The police, as a social institution, must wear the clothing of dignity and accountability. The enforcement of the law should not be biased or favor the common or elite over the law. It’s ludicrous to see the police as an immoral weapon in the hands of politicians and criminals. The police should take responsibility.
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