Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Director of the Kenya Law School and former director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, Prof. PLO Lumumba, yesterday, admonished legislators to make efforts to be true representatives of the people and not be horrible members.
Lumumba, who spoke at the unveiling of the Green Chamber magazine, a publication by the House of Representatives, said lawmakers were elected to be honourable members representing their people, but regretted that they were being measured by the number of weddings they attend or the number of people they are able to assist.
He said there was need for members of the House to discharge their duties with passion, like the founding fathers of the country did.
The frontline social critics said: “Now that you have been given the honour and privilege to lead Nigerians, the question is, ‘are you honourable or horrible members?’ We want to see honourable members in the House of Representatives and not horrible members.”
He called on them to “midwife good things that Nigerians desire and create a great country which Nigeria ought to be.”
“We live in an age where the efficacy of a legislator is misunderstood; where lawmakers are called to executive functions. Their efficacy is measured by the classrooms they built, the number of women and youth they assist. When you listen to Nigerians abroad, they are asking about what their legislators are doing. They are asking what you have done over the years in areas of unemployment, education etc.
“They don’t know because what they hear and read is from the newspapers where reports are sometimes jaundiced. I hope that through this magazine, you will be able to speak directly to the people. I hope that through this magazine, Nigerians will understand you better,” Lumumba said.
In his remark, President Muhammadu Buhari said Nigerians perceive the members of the National Assembly as people who are overly comfortable and stuff wads of currency notes into their pockets for little work done.
The president, who was represented by Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said such wrong perception of the legislative chamber is caused by the lack of understanding of their works.
He said the magazine will serve as the “authoritative source” of anything that goes on in the house, and would make the public to be better informed on their activities.
“In addition, it will help the house to tell its own story, rather than relying on others to take charge of their narrative,” he added.
“It is said that no one can tell your story better than you. This magazine is long overdue. But like the saying goes, it’s better late than never.”
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, said The Green Chamber was not a propagandist outlet, but a medium dedicated to the enthronement of honest journalism.
“Our service to the people who elected us, is not enabled in any way by having at our beck and call, a media outfit that exists to massage our egos and tell us what we want to hear,” he said.
“Public service always benefits from being held to impartial account. Any public service conducted in secrecy is suspect.”