Eaglepoint: The red flag from The Red Chamber

We are in interesting times in Nigeria and regardless of how things are , we should have sober reflection. Institutions of government known for serious policy making and forthright deliberations are beginning to feel the drag of the 21st century post modernist challenges and should we say priorities are getting misplaced?

Enter the beautiful Kogi Senator, the delectable Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan… but I digress; Kogi State has gifted The Senate brilliant outspoken Senators in the past : Smart Adeyemi, Dino Melaye and now Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan. Senator Dino Melaye was the Senator from Kogi State who was not only a brilliant Legislature but a very colorful one who would flash his wealth at the slightest provocation if only to tell you his district did not send some poor fellow to the Senate to represent them. What is more, the former students’ union leader was a Senator as much as a publicist with a solo effort at propaganda and public relations that never failed in those days to always dish out through the different social media platforms his unrestrained reactions and opinions on virtually everything in the society. His fans would wait for his take on issues through his YouTube dips and Dino never slacked. His post- legislative media exhibitionism made him the Kogi Senator terribly missed by onlookers, yet when Senator Melaye held debate on the floor of The Red Chamber, he was the Senator as a well as a political analyst who never minced his words when it came to telling the truth to the ‘ powers that be.’

For those who have followed the trajectory of the Media guru turned Politician , who booked a Senate ride and acquitted himself creditably well on the beat, you can’t but give it to Senator Smart Adeyemi, former National NUJ President. He was a special gift from Kogi State to The Red Chamber. Kogi never disappoints when it comes to sending their best hands to the National Assembly, but again, I digress.

Crux of the matter is that for the first time in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, allegation of ‘Sexual harrasment ‘ is flying in the air and it is not being whispered in hush hush tones, but being amplified from a female Senator against not just any male Senator but the ‘primus inter pares’ , in the street lingo ‘ the 001 of The Senate.’ Of all red flags that had trended in The National Assembly, the spat between these two senators is novel. Such accusation is a strange one among Law Makers because , to all intent and purpose, they have very busy legislative schedule and their constituents won’t ever believe that their distinguished Senators have such luxury of time for such flip side ‘activities.’ More reason this harrasment phenomenon alien to the Senate until now must be investigated clinically and thoroughly so that if the allegation was found to be unfounded , the hallowed Red Chamber will proudly regain its full honours with adequate disciplinary measures meted out to the one with such mouth gaping and less meriting allegation.

Now this is where the more important question arises. What if the sexual harrasment allegation ain’t mere allegations? What if there was substance to it? What if the Kogi Senator is not merely out on a popularity stunt to drag and smear the distinguished Senate President over some ‘coded affair turned messy?’ He or she who alleges must prove and the burden of proof is not some mystery that can’t be unravelled.

Let it be said loud and clear that the gender sensitive society we find ourselves get to be more careful when it comes to a female alleging a male of philandering. After all, such elite atmosphere must lead in frowning at efforts to gain a cheap advantage over women. But what about situations where women have gained undue advantage over men using this ploy knowing full well that nearly everyone will first raise an eyebrow , some even frown before thinking whether there was substance in such a heavy allegation or not. A very prominent global figure gunning for a prominent seat in The World Bank lost the opportunity because a woman alleged him of sexual harrasment. So, it is important that everyone understands the seriousness of the issue at hand.

Now that the Kogi Senator has dragged the Patriarchal Senate President into this avoidable and messy allegation, a genuine effort not really to apportion blame but establish the veracity or otherwise of the allegation should be the concern of The Senate and all Nigerians of strong moral compass.

Until this is established, all the noise in the media about feminism and the support streak, gender pigeonhole and men being uncontrollable when such ‘opportunities’ arise will continue to sustain the fear that of a truth there are red flags on The hallowed Red Floor.