₦airaland Forum

by Raphael Adenaike

The bill, “Gender Parity and Prohibition of Violence against Women”, popularly known as the Gender equality Bill was sponsored and presented on the floor of the Senate by Senator Abiodun Olujimi, Ekiti State on March 15, 2016.

It was designed to grant women the same marital rights as their husbands. This, going by the country, Africa’s culture, religion and tradition is unconventional.

Many Nigerian women threw weight behind this Bill probably because one hardly finds them in position of authority, they want a sense of belonging.

However, the Senate, especially Senator Olujimi who championed the Bill may not put into consideration, the implications of such a Bill in a society like Nigeria.

If the Senate had passed that Bill, here are some of the atrocities that would have been unbridled.

Read Also: WAR! You Lack Power To Take Over Our Parliament, Kogi Lawmakers Tell NASS

1 Domestic violence:

Two bosses of the same authority and power, certainly cannot preside over an institution. There would be disagreements, crisis, chaos which would eventually lead to division.

A woman who wants to flaunt her supposed 100% right as her husband will adopt the “talk back” system in her marriage, since she now has a legal backing. And more of this leads to frustration, anger, and aggressive behaviours within the home, which is typical of an angry spouse.

Before the deliberation of gender equality Bill, domestic violence in Nigeria is at the peak, why should we encourage what we’re fighting hard to curb?

2 Promiscuity

This Bill could give women unfettered freedom to engage in immoral activities – extra marital affairs.

Since a woman has the same legal right as a man, therefore a cheating Husband will have a cheating wife.

A woman who catches her Husband cheating will feel she has the right to fornicate (Not that it’s right for a man to cheat on his wife).

3 Room for more Immoral Bills

If women now legally have the same right as their Husbands with a sense of “freedom” from being marginalized, bills like same sex marriage, bestiality would emerge as Gays, Lesbians would advocate for freedom too.

http://greennews.ng/3-inevitable-atrocities-gender-equality-bill-would-encourage/

A Lawmaker of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Mutiu Shadimu has said that his job at the lower chamber was to facilitate the burning needs of residents of his constituency and not to make donations.

Shadimu who represents Oshodi constituency 1, Lagos, Nigeria at the Federal House of Representatives told Greennews.ng that he was less concern about the criticisms of Oshodi people who had speculated that he (Shadimu) intends to use the promised electricity Transformer to get a second term in office.

Hon. Shadimu said: “I’m not going to donate a Transformer. Why should I donate a Transformer? What’s NEPA’s work if I have to donate a Transformer? Has anybody given us money?

“There is no harm in whatever they say about that. Their own is to have a Transformer. So whether I want to use it to campaign or not, there was someone there before. So, if the person didn’t do what he was supposed to do.

“I’m their representative. My own is to ensure that my people are satisfied and that’s why we are here”.

Asked if he will fulfill his promised electricity transformer to the people, Shadimu said: “I have done all I need to do on my own part. It’s left for the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to do their work. I have done the necessary thing. It is the duty of the distribution company to provide transformer for the people. I have done my responsibility by writing them to do that. And they said that they are working on it”.

Oshodi Constituency 1, Lagos Nigeria with over twenty streets and a modern Idera Market had for over five years been living in what could be described as “unending darkness”. Some of these streets had been sharing, rotating, till date, one electricity Transformer.

Residents who endured the inadequate, “one day OFF/ON” electricity supply unanimously elected Hon. Shadimu of the PDP ahead of his main challenger Timothy Muyiwa Olabintan of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 National Assembly elections with the hope of relegating this eyesore (electricity Transformer) to the back burner.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Monday revealed that the newly selected Ooni of Ife-designate, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has so many things in common with the immediate past Ooni, Okunade Sijuwade which include but not limited to being widely travelled, exposed, versatile, well-informed and a devoted patriot.

While congratulating Ogunwusi in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki advised the new Ooni to concentrate on further solidifying the role of the Yoruba people in national unity.

“I am particularly delighted that the approval of your appointment by the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, came at a time when the youthful zest, experience, and knowledge of global best practices, which you possess in abundance are needed to move the traditional institution and most especially, the revered throne of the Ife Kingdom, to the next level.

“I have no doubt that your present assignment would greatly enhance the bond of unity that exists among the Yorubas as well as contribute immensely to the growth and development of our dear country”, Saraki said.

The Senate President assured the new monarch that the Senate, under his leadership, will continue to hold the traditional institution in high esteem, considering the role they play in ensuring peaceful coexistence among the people, promotion of worthy cultural values in the society and sustenance of national traditions.

He however, urged the new Ooni of Ife Kingdom to continue to maintain the high sense of patriotism, unassailable piety and sterling leadership qualities which he is reputed for.

“May your ascension to the throne of your forebears mark the beginning of a new era of prosperity, peace, development and progress for your immediate subjects, the Yoruba race and the entire nation. It is my prayer that the people of Ife and the entire Yorubaland would find in you a rallying point for unity, peace and progress just like they did during the time of your predecessors”.

A Lagos based human rights lawyer and activist, Barrister Fred Agbaje has revealed that Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) scaled through the ministerial screening because of the Senate’s inability to ask relevant questions.

Agbaje in a telephone interview with greennews.ng over the weekend described members of the upper chamber as being “intellectually mesmerized” by the former Governor.

“If a man says he never signed cheque as a Governor, does that mean he is not corrupt? Is it only by signing cheque that you can become corrupt?

"Fashola intellectually mesmerized those Senators. The questions those Senators was asking were irrelevant questions. Hard core questions which they supposed to have asked weren’t asked”.

He explained that Fashola eloquently exhibited the attributes of a lawyer, asserting that a Lawyer cannot be found wanting.

He said: “What do you expect of a lawyer? He has displayed the lawyer in him. A lawyer must not be found wanting. The Senate could not even ask him any question because they were intellectually mesmerized by his responses.

He added, “As far as I am concerned, the Senate lacked good questions; they refused to hit the nail on the head. And this is the same Senators that have held the whole Nation to ransom with empty promises”.

Speaking on Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi who claimed he was never indicted on the ground of corruption during his tenure as the State Governor, Agbaje said: “Amaechi said the report of the tribunal did not indict him. But it indicted his regime which he was the head. I expected the Senate to look deeper and ask further questions. He said he wasn’t directly indicted but his administration was indicted and he was the head of that Government”.

Source: Greennews.ng

Agbaje Breaks Silence, Speaks On Fashola, Amaechi’s Ministerial Screening http://greennews.ng/agbaje-breaks-silence-speaks-on-fashola-amaechis-ministerial-screening/

Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Wednesday debunked what he described as a ‘pure malicious and politically motivated prosucution’, allegations by the Code of Conduct Bureau that he failed to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor as well as the alleged possession of assets beyond his legitimate earnings.

Saraki, in a statement noted that all the claims contained in the charge sheet are...

More details on: http://ghemedia.com/ccb-corruption-charge-a-pure-malicious-and-politically-motivated-prosecution-saraki/