By Okoi Obono-Obla
In a democracy, representation is not a privilege bestowed upon the elected but a sacred trust conferred by the people. Citizens labor, sacrifice, and spend their resources to ensure that their voices are heard in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yet, too often, those entrusted with this responsibility retreat into arrogance, cocooning themselves in self-importance, and forgetting the very constituency that elevated them.
For three years, no town hall meeting was convened. Calls went unanswered, messages ignored. Supporters, eager to defend, boast of scholarships supposedly facilitated by their senator. But these scholarships, in truth, are awarded through federal government trust agencies, not personal benevolence. Many of us, with far lesser positions and influence, quietly secured the same opportunities for our people without flaunting them as achievements. To parade such federal allocations as personal triumphs is not only misleading but diminishes the essence of genuine service.
Party members, who should be the backbone of political engagement, are instead treated with contempt and disdain. The senator ensconces himself in the leafy neighborhoods of Maitama, savoring choice wines, while a younger opponent tirelessly traverses every nook and cranny of the vast senatorial district—reaching out, wooing, and offering succor. This contrast is stark: one figure isolated in privilege, the other immersed in the struggles of the people. Yet, the incumbent still believes that a few potentates and oligarchs will automatically hand him a ticket. Wonders, indeed, shall never end.
Representation in the Senate is not a ceremonial title, nor is it a license for indulgence. It is a duty to engage, to listen, and to serve. When arrogance replaces accountability, when disdain supplants dialogue, the people will inevitably seek leaders who embody humility, accessibility, and genuine connection. The lesson is clear: political survival in a democracy is not secured by oligarchic patronage but by the enduring trust of the people.
@ Okoi Obono-Obla
Leave a comment