Nudity Bill: Nigeria’s worst moment at the UN
Written by Chioma Gabriel, Deputy Editor and Uduma Kalu
Saturday, 19 July 2008

*Nigeria’s delegation largest ever, says UN
*World body ignores Nigeria on bill
*Minister, Ekaette speechless

Nigeria last week suffered its worst embarrassment in history on the floors of the United Nation's Assembly, Saturday Vanguard has learnt.

The issue was not just that among all the world delegates that attended the one day conference, Nigeria had the largest turn out which the UN described as the largest ever in its history, the country was also highly criticised and roundly ridiculed both for the the number of delegates and triviality of the Nudity Bill at the National Assembly.

The world delegates completely ignored the bill.

Throughout the session Nigeria was ridiculed and criticised, the largest delegate country led by the Women Affairs Minister, presenter of the bill and Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette, could not utter a word in defence of the country. In fact when she spoke, Ekaette was said to have spoken on other matters but not the Nudity Bill, a UN source told Saturday Vanguard.

Ironically, Ekaette and the delegates were at the UN to push for her bill which has made two successful outings on the floor of the Senate. The Nudity Bill prescribes three months imprisonment for ladies who display their belly buttons, breasts or wear mini skirts in public places.

The first international attack against the bill was said to have come from Glenda Simms, an expert from Jamaica who expressed disagreement with the bill by asking, “What was that about nudity? Would the police go around with a tape measure to check the length of clothes or see if a breast was exposed?

Women had a right to aesthetics of their bodies and the right to present themselves any way they wanted. A woman’s body was the only piece of real estate on which she owed no mortgage. Dress codes were about power and dressing a woman from head to toe was a form of rape.”

This was said to have been followed by Meriem Belmihoub's ridicule. An expert from Algeria, Meriem noted the large turn out of women in Nigeria’s delegation for a one-day session and hoped that women were as represented at the federal level of Nigeria’s political life and governance, especially in appointment positions.

“Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette who formed membership of Nigeria’s 73 member delegation at the occasion could not utter a word in defence of the bill she vehemently pursues at home. See detailed




http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12599&Itemid=0

_{seriously scratching head on this one}   If the bill is for Nigeria, why bring it up with the UN? What was the point of this?

See what i mean? Members of the house of assembly, what an embarrassment indeed. And why did such a huge delegation go? Because everyone wanted free travel to New York? What a shame indeed, but what else could have been expected when you take into account the fact that the house has basically displayed the apex of unprofessionalism and bush man mentality in Nigeria and then such should be clamouring for "morality police" position? So what else could have been expected when abroad?

Nigerians with the claim of moral superiority stupid fools serves them right, they should have been seriously berated for wasting the time of the UN on such nonsense.

While our children are on the streets hawking pure water because NUT is on strike, Senator Ekaette is on a jamboree in New York with a bevy of jobless Nigerian women in support of a Bill that has no relevance to the pertinnt issues in this country.

If it bothers you that your daughter goes to school half naked, maybe it's time you strated spending more quality time with her at home.

noooo, don't mind them my sister, they just wanted a free trip to New York.

some of these senators re really useless,

this is very shameless of those senators. are they educated or what? as if the size of the delegation is not shameless enough, they go about propounding something as stupid as the nudity bill, in this 21st century??!!. unfortunately, this is another waste of nigeria's money.

73 people for a one-day session? What were they going to present? 73 bills?

These people just dey embarass Naija. Like say UN no get better thing to discuss.

Just wait until NFA comes out with the list of Nigeria Delegation to the Olympics.

It seems we now wait for foreign nations and bodies to properly embarrass these clueless politicians that keep ridiculing themselves whenever they try the nonsense they do here outside Nigeria.

Very shameful

Dont knw when Nigerians will get their priorities straight

For real, she's got her priorities all mixed up. Let her tell us what she is doing to try to reduce the number of deaths of women during childbirth, or to review our obsolete rape laws. Maybe a modest contribution of part of her 114,000 daily lunch allowance can help with that, or even help one of those striking teachers earning less than 25,000 per month. Some of these senators haven't got a clue about their responsibilities. It's a ridiculous bill.

She wasnt the originator of the Bill, so im not surprised at her speechlessness

The more I hear about this bill, the more my blood boils.

The country is just pathetic. . .scratch that, it is beneath pathetic

what of corruption bill? or poverty bill? or no light bill? or bad roads bill? or greedy senators bill? Can somebody please tell me how this nudity bill go make our fatherland progress?

Kobojunkie:
_{seriously scratching head on this one} If the bill is for Nigeria, why bring it up with the UN? What was the point of this?

I was as confused as you are. The Vanguard report is just crap like most Naija news I read daily online. So many questions. The stupid Naija delegation obviously was not introducing any bill at the UN It's not the right forum. Maybe Vanguard meant some kind of UN resolution sponsored by the bone headed, estacode chasing Naija delegation.

Pathetic 'Abuja' mentality!

I hope this nudity bill isnt a backhand attempt to introduce sha'ria through the back door sha.

We just like to embarrass ourselves, shame to the senate, shame to senator ufot ekkaite, shame to all the 73. Shame on them.*hisses*

This is a clear way of demonstrating immaturity.
The bill has not even worked in Nigeria, how on earth can it work among the UN.

@ the number of Delegates
It also demonstrate the fact that quality of representative is of utmost consideration and not quantity

see hand falling now

Should we be surprised?this is what happens when you send nonentities to speak for us,too bad we will all be judged by the conduct of these jobless and intellectually deficient women.

Yeeepa, now u're insulting women.


What happened to insulting the ignorant nonentities (both ignorant men and women) who represent us abroad but don't know what the F$%3k they're talking about,

Shame on Nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our leaders are nothing but huge bunch of disappointment. Infact, i am ashame that i am a Nigerian. Why should they be wasting their time on triavial issues such as the Nudity Bill when we have other pressing issues such as Power supply,Education,Health,Food e.t.c to tackle? Yar'Adua's Government is a failure!!!

Misplaced priority and lake of foresight.

This is similar to the shameful social media bill