Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, Bukola Saraki, Femi Gbajabiamila and Yakubu Dogara are the names on the lips of most political gladiators in Nigeria today. Reason: the 8th National Assembly is set to elect these men to the key offices of Senate president and Speaker Wednesday, June 10, 2015 - barring any last minute manoeuvres.

Even as the buzz in town is mainly about who will be the Senate president or speaker, many key questions are already been put forward that go well beyond the selection - or election - of key officers of the 8th National Assembly. In this light, what should constitute the essential reading list of the new Assembly members?

'How to Save a Nation,' posts a Nairalander Ammyluv2002. Before you ask, 'who is the author of that book,' the 2012 registered member of Nigeria's foremost online community has no clue. She’s just responding to the question of what should be on the reading list of the legislators. But that's hardly the case with O’seun Ajibade. The principal partner of a Lagos- based consulting firm is specific: "Why Nations Fail' by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson and ' 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership' by John Maxwell will top my list," he says. If you consider the fact that ‘Why Nations Fail’ answers the question of why some nations are rich and others are poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine, then you will agree Ajibade’s first pick for every legislator is spot on.
His second pick from the stable of John Maxwell is a sentiment echoed by Beordhun Oluleye and Busola Oladipo. While Oluleye recommends “any leadership book” from the leadership author, speaker and pastor, Oladipo prefers ‘Failing Forward.’ Ask her why ‘Failing Forward,’ she would readily reply – in Pidgin English – “Dem don fail us before, so make dem move us forward now.” When you are told that the popular title speaks of turning mistakes into stepping stones for success, you’ll understand Oladipo’s sentiments for her pick. But she is not done yet. ‘The Audacity of Hope’ by Barrack Obama is another title the Ibadan native puts forward in the readings essentials list for the legislators. “Make dem join hope with us to move the nation to unimaginable heights of achievement,” she speaks out – also in her preferred Pidgin English. ‘The Audacity of Hope’ is President Obama’s call for a new kind of politics – a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull Americans together. If you are adept at drawing parallels, then you’ll be wishing same for Nigerian and Nigerians at this point of our nationhood.
Akin Rotimi puts forward the obvious – ‘Nigerian Constitution’ – and the veiled – ‘Mastering English’ by M.O. Odiaka as his picks for the booklist of the legislators. Whatever conclusions or inferences you draw from the Ado-Ekiti resident’s second pick may be fine with him since he is silent on his reasons for this popular Macmillan Nigeria Publishers’ 1974 title.

Francis Adebayo endorses Fayanjuola Femi’s choice of 'From Third World to First' by Lee Kuan Yew for Nigeria’s 8th National Assembly legislators for one reason. “Let them start thinking for once,” he remarks, with plenty of undertone. For the CityPulse editor, to easily agree with the Chicago-based medical doctor, there must be something in the book for the legislators. The book tells the story of Singapore’s transformation from a legacy of divisive colonialism, the devastation of the Second World War, and general poverty and disorder to a country of the future. Still at a loss to why it should make the essential reading list of the legislators? Snap out of it. The type of change Nigerians are still clamouring for is captured in this book by Singapore's charismatic founding father.
The ‘Effective Executive’ by Peter Drucker and the Proverbs of Solomon are David Richman’s top picks for the reading times for the members of the 8th National Assembly. The Dublin-resident is a pastor and that explains his choice of books.
Yinka Popoola’s wish is for the legislators to “streamline the core values of the nation and how we perceive ourselves versus how others perceive us.” She believes ‘The Advantage’ by Patrick Lencioni captures that for the legislators. Lencioni makes the case that there is no better way to achieve profound improvement in an organization than by attacking the root causes of dysfunction, politics, and confusion in his book. And for the language instructor from Ijebu-Ode, the legislators don’t need to reinvent the wheel – they simply need to fall in line with Lencioni’s position, if they will just pick up his book and read.

By Boboye Onduku

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