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The trend has begun, fliers and banners are already everywhere, grandiose write-ups flying left and right, and people are taking postures to celebrate the annual and annually loud International Women’s Day.
Maybe elsewhere, there would be genuine reasons for women to cover themselves in glory for the progress made in the 12 months that have passed since the last celebration. But in Nigeria, it is a tale of men and women suppressing women.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the politician representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has dominated the headlines in the past week for going toe-to-toe with Nigeria’s number three citizen, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
The fight between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan
The loudest bang, which was a no-going back move, was when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan went on Arise News to accuse Senator Akpabio of sexual harassment. According to the UniAbuja-trained lawyer, Akpabio turned down her motions on the floor of the house because of rejecting his advances.
She summarised the situation by saying: “You know when a student keeps failing because they refuse to sleep with a lecturer? That is exactly what I have been facing, in simple terms.”
You’d also recall that Akpabio had made a derogatory remark about Akpoti-Uduaghan by telling her they were not in a nightclub and should wait to be recognised before speaking. He apologised though.
The consequences of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusation
But this time, Akpabio didn’t apologise. Instead, the machinery of the Senate was activated to deal with Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
When you hear that a senator was suspended for six months, has her aides taken away, told not to parade herself as a Nigerian senator in any manner, you would think that they stole the mace! Or they siphoned the entire budget for the Upper Chamber for a whole year!
But in the case of Akpoti-Uduaghan, it was a seating arrangement. But obviously, we’re not blind and stupid. It is only an avenue to punish Madam Natasha for challenging the biggest man in the Senate.
Who is she? It is enough to turn down the third most-powerful man in Nigeria, you now go on national tv to open his nyansh? She must be dealt with.
In a sane(r) clime, such heavy accusations come with suspension first. The parties are suspended to allow for independent and untainted investigation. But in Nigeria, Akpabio who is the accused is also the one sitting on the matter and reading out the judgement to the accuser.
That’s not an Upper Chamber, that’s an Upper Theatre, similar to the ridicule that Man Utd’s Theatre of Dreams has been serving fans in recent months.
The disgusting reactions of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s fellow women senators
As if that was not enough, Senator Ireti Kingibe decided that it was her turn on national television and volunteered to speak on the issue.
The 70-year-old FCT senator decided to flog issues regarding the ‘misconduct’ of 45-year-old Akpoti-Uduaghan while glossing over the sexual allegations. She admitted that the Senate was not gender friendly, but because Natasha, as she called the Kogi lawmaker, didn’t consult with the other women senators and carry them along, there was nothing they could do.
But it didn’t occur that the penalties served to her because of a flippant issue might be like using a sledge hammer to kill a housefly?
The conduct of Akpoti-Uduaghan, according to Kingibe, “really denigrates the institution” and “women of Nigeria have larger things in front of them.”
She honestly admitted that neither her, Banigo nor Adebule (the other senators) had experienced sexual harassment but they were infinitely wiser than her.
“The three of us are older than Natasha. We are wiser, we’ve seen a lot of things. I have taken her as my child,” Kingible told Arise News.
Describing a fellow senator you both were voted as her daughter in that context suggests that “since she didn’t heed my words, she should deal with whatever she faces,” like a typical African mother to a rebellious child.
From left, Senator Idiat Adebule of Lagos; Senator Ireti Kingibe of FCT and Senator Ipalibo Banigo.
Therefore, out of the four female senators in a 109-member chamber, one has now been suspended for six months, leaving just 3. Yet Senator Kingibe feels there are bigger fishes to fry.
True to her words, she joined the male senators to sign the recommendation that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan be suspended for six months and deprived of office, aides, remuneration.
Other female senators have been quiet. So much for women supporting women. Not even Senator Ipalibo Banigo who is from the same political party (PDP) as Akpoti-Uduaghan has been reported to utter a statement.
Seating arrangement now trumps sexual allegations
The Yorubas have a saying that, “a witch confessed yesterday, a child died today; is it then far-fetched to conclude that it is the witch of yesterday that killed the child of today?”
Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment last week, this week, she’s been barred completely from entering the premises of the National Assembly. Is it not obvious?
13 senators reportedly did not sign the Kogi Central senator’s suspension recommendation. A senator on the condition of anonymity said that the committee on the issue abruptly rescheduled and moved the hearing forward unexpectedly.
The anonymous senator was quoted saying,
“It was a rushed assignment. Why the hurry? Why didn’t the committee wait? The absence of ranking Senators from the process shows we knew where it was heading.
“We are lawmakers, and we must follow due process. This was why thirteen of us refused to participate or sign the report.”
But again, this issue is just about seating and sitting arrangement, right?
Barely had hours passed when female legislative aides appreciated the Senate President for being gender-friendly, inclusive and fair.
Women supporting women.
Online feminists showed their priority too
Let’s assume that the female senators and female legislative aides didn’t have an option because they were too afraid to speak truth to power, what about the supposed woke feminists on X?
Those ones decided to drag social media sensation Mummy Zee for saying ‘Feminists arise’ over this issue. They preferred to drag a fellow woman unconnected to the issue, rather than speak up in support of the suppressed senator.
Women supporting women.
So what’s to celebrate about International Women’s Day?
It is quite ironic but rather timely that all the drama is happening in the week that the world celebrates the International Women’s Day.
In public glare, a sexual allegation was swept under the carpet and a petition submitted to the Senate was discarded. And it was even against a person who has a long history of allegations.
But as usual, fliers, banners, events, awards, messages are everywhere to celebrate despite that a woman, who is even in power, is being suppressed right in front of our eyes.
Well, if the obvious needs to be said, this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day in Nigeria is a stark reminder that it’s all just glam and gram. We are a long way from actual substance.
Happy International Women’s Day to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The rest can collect theirs from Godswill Akpabio.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not represent those of the organisation TheRadar.
Criticism grows as opposition parties, NBA condemn Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension
Earlier, TheRadar reported that Senator Natasha Akpotie-Uduaghan’s suspension generated strong reactions from various political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, emphasised the negative impact the suspension could have on women in politics, calling the decision an attack on affirmative action.
Obi’s representative, Tanko Yunusa, also expressed disappointment with the situation, citing the lack of investigation before the suspension was imposed.
