By Cyril Aririguzo,
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The year 2015 has been very phenomenal in the political history of Imo state given that it was one year the political activities dominated the sphere that saw the emergence of new crop of Lawmakers into the state Houses of Assembly. It is also of note that the election from a critical analysis by many political pundits is believed to have given birth to a lot of “Baby lawmakers” that are ill-equipped and inexperienced in legislative matters. Many of them from findings have continued to be bench warmer not able to pass a single bill till date. Even when they attempt to come with one, it is usually a controversial one that shows how inexperienced many are when it comes to deep analytical thinking.
We have come to discover also that most of their bills are unable to impact meaningfully on the life of the people. This lack of basic intellectual capacity to formulate bills for our common good has been identified as a log in the wheel of progress of our state. It has also continued to reflect negatively on our polity as a serious democratic clime when proper evaluation is made on the content of our democracy. We all know the job of a legislator in the House of Assembly requires a whole lot of intellectual work given the significance of the honorable house and its attachment to the daily survival of our state and our nascent democracy. Lack of quality representation in the Houses of Assembly has been identified as being responsible for the decline in the formulation and passage of good bills that can stand the test of time, as well checkmate the excesses of the executive arms of government and ultimately better the lives of people.
A situation where ill-equipped lawmakers that are unable to research and deliberate on what would impact on the society at this critical time of harsh economic crises is worrisome and big concern as it gives an insight into what to expect at the end of the day. Insensitivity and not digging deep on issues properly before embarking on it shows how shallow minded our hollowed chambers are when it comes to issues of importance. I should be blunt in making this assertion because recently, a bill for a law to prohibit that act of female circumcision and other related issues was reported to have been passed for second reading in the House. It was reported in Newspoint Newspaper of Monday October, 31, 2016. The bill which is being sponsored by a member of Mbaitolu State Constituency, Hon Ifeanyi Nnataraonye and eleven others when passed into law, will make a punishable offence for anybody to circumcise female children or separate the genital surgically. With the bill it will also be crime to touch and infibulate the whole or any part of the labia majora or minora of the clitoris of a female. From that angle, any of such acts will be termed as an offence of female genital mutilation. It also specifies that any adult who willingly submit herself for the performance of circumcision shall be guilty of the offence of genital mutilation as described in sub section (1) of the bill. Punishment according to the bill ranges from three(3) to fourteen (14) years imprisonment.
Before now, I know the primary duty of any responsive legislator is to enhance and articulate people oriented bills at all time with the mindset to help the citizenry. More so, with the societal decadence and poverty that have permeated our society already only an articulate legislator can muster enough courage to be different, by rising above the status quo to make big difference, not play to the gallery of not compromising with the evil in the world, by upholding forthrightly the tenets of good knowledge of what the people need and not to propagate a strange and unpopular matter just for the fun of it. I know the primary cause of this kind of development from my understanding as an objective writer, may not be farfetched. I will not want to dabble into that because of space, but will certainly do it at an appropriate time. The main purpose of this article therefore, is to juxtapose and evaluate to the much I can the recent bill as passed by our state law makers, looking at the direct implication in the order of priority. The bill as being read for a second time has set tongues wagging on the real intention of the promoters and their seeming naivety on culture and tradition of the Ndigbo. The bill perhaps may have been another ploy to demonize our society with absurdity and wolf crying when nothing is going wrong. Any reasonable person that has knowledge of Igbo culture knows our traditional practice is flawless and eternal. Such obnoxious bill is completely irrelevant in our Igboland of today, except the promoters are faking ignorance and deception. The content of the bill may just be mere rehearsal of a script written long ago in illusion, an idea to grab foreign grants, from international donor agencies promoting such ideas. It is an old boring folk tales which many of us know have expired. It has also exposed the level of intelligence of the promoters.
In Imo State, our cultural orientation as Igbo that embraced the love and gospel of Jesus Christ from a holistic view has never treated our daughters, sisters and wives badly to warrant our legislators to seek to drown in the water of controversies at this critical moment believing to win the heart of Imo people as doing the right things. This is failure of a society in need of good governance, it’s obvious that the intension of the promoters may not be genuine, giving that our state may have zero cases of mutilation of genitals. We live in a society where families understand the need to prevent promiscuity and promote good upbringing early in life. We all know what is right and will continue to do it. Our society is preserved by an orderly practice, and issues of genital mutilation are only predominant in the northern part of Nigeria where the practice reigns supreme. How can our honorable members descend so low and force us to join northern Nigeria in an issue that is inconsequential. Are they trying to intimidate parents? Their reason for this controversial bill is that Female Genital Mutilation causes infection and prevents women from enjoying sex. But who has complained to the House that circumcision gave her infection? Which Imo woman has complained that female circumcision has prevented her from having or enjoying sex?
What could have been more honorable to do than playing the ostrich? Why not promote bills that will enhance wealth creation, generate employment for our graduates, promote good healthcare delivery system, promote entrepreneurial skills, food production that can guarantee food security. Bills seeking to reduce poverty and achieve Millennium development goals will be a step to the right direction. Bills that will remove mediocrity and favoritism in the civil service will be super. Bills seeking to integrate people with disabilities and stamp out unwholesome discrimination against them will be laudable. Bills seeking to project and promote good conduct in the way of doing government business and that of the private sectors in the state will be appreciated. Bill seeking to promote transparency in the award of contracts in government agencies and ministries can impact on the society. Bills on quick dispensation of justice in our courts to decongest the prisons will not only be appreciated but applauded. Bill on the maintenance of our roads and other public utilities will be a memorable one. Bill on the reactivation of our moribund industries will be a good one to start. Bills seeking to promote the payment of pensions and gratuities will be hailed. Bills seeking to promote a clean environment and tourism capacity of the state will be evergreen. Bills seeking to address abuse of human right, abuse of public funds by government officials, abuse of young children and the use of drugs in the rural areas will be the best of them all. We can go on and on with a long list of bills that can be useful.
I will suggest the House of Assembly backs down on the bill on female circumcision and substitute it with a more honorable and important ones to win the heart of the people and not to be seen as people who are not focused that has nothing to offer. Except something is done the people may continue to see the Imo House of Assembly as not feeling the pulse of the people.
