In the clime that we live, there are lots of rules. Our bane is the little regard we have for these rules. A rule is a principle or condition that customarily governs behaviour. A law is a binding or enforceable rule, or a piece of legislation among many other definitions.
Looking at Nigeria’s various attempts at legislation since colonial times to the present; we have made excellent and world class legislations. Nigeria’s bane undoubtedly remains, the lack of, or very little enforcement of these legislations. Another concern will be the “Above the Law syndrome” or as better typified in Nigeria the “Big-Man phenomenon”. This essentially is the segregation of laws according to social class or political affiliation.
In our quest to make life better for ourselves and future generations, laws need to be enforced if we have to make any headway; Legislations need to be protected especially social legislation in a nascent democracy like ours.
Social legislation is a generic term used to denote the body of laws enacted in various countries, chiefly in the 19th and 20th centuries, to correct specific social and economic maladjustments. In general, such laws are designed to raise the standard of living and the cultural level of the economically depressed. In recent times social legislation has also been passed to aid segments of the general public affected by such economic vagaries as spiraling costs of living and increased unemployment.
Social legislation includes laws providing for public assistance to the indigent and the physically handicapped, unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, compensation payments to employees injured on the job, public educational systems, and slum clearance and public housing. Other examples of social legislation are laws prohibiting or limiting the employment of minors, establishing the minimum wage, and prohibiting discrimination because of tribe, religion, age or sex.
The entire criminal justice system needs to be overhauled with the correctional motive being the driving force. In this new beginning, as I would want to call this time in Nigeria’s eventful history, laced mostly with turbulence, carnage and above all, the penchant for turning things around by truly patriotic citizens denied, because of the bogus realities of the ruling class.
Now that the 8th Legislative Session of the National Assembly has been inaugurated; it is time again, to concentrate on the onerous task of quality social legislation. This is the time to sheath our swords and extend hands of friendship to each other in order to move our social wheel forward.
British stateswoman, Betty Boothroyd said that ‘Good temper and moderation are the characteristics of parliamentary language’. It is time to wake up to the realities of today; beset with a lot of social malaise. According to Bil Keane; ‘’Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present’’. So today is the time to act, by way of quality legislation that will change the face of Nigeria and the fate of the common man if any such thing as a common man exists. Every person is special to God because we are all his special creation.
Irish-born British statesman and political philosopher; Edmund Burke in a speech to voters in Bristol 1774 told them that ‘’ Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain, but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole’’
The social and economic maladjustments troubling Nigeria are quite a lot. Therefore today is the time to undertake a legislative needs assessment and churn out quality legislation for Nigeria. We’ve got to make hay while the sun shines on a new Nigeria.
The eighth legislative session of the Nigerian National Assembly started off on a tumultuous note, June 9th is a day never to be forgotten in the annals of Nigeria’s legislative history. Thank God for the maturity and resilience of the legislators, the bumpy ride is smooth again. The Bukola Saraki/Ekweramadu and the Yakubu Dogara/Lasun saga may have best been put to rest. But the alleged false declaration of assets charges filed against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, has raised a lot of dust in political circles recently. Our hope is for justice to be done. For he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
In a country like Nigeria where roles overlap and the people don’t know the thin line between the executive, legislature and the judiciary. A lot of sensitization needs to be done for the citizens to come to terms with the reality of the day.
In one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous speeches, he said that ‘’we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression, everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way, everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want, everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear, anywhere in the world.
Nigerians want to see themselves as beneficiaries of democracy and the centerpiece in the legislative business of the 8th legislative assembly, so help us God!
Ahmed Yerima is a Member House of Reps representing Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency, Bauchi State
This article was originally published on Daily Trust.