How can our senators understand the needs of the masses?

How can the robust and mighty elephant be elected to represent the tiny ants? how can this enormous creature understand the needs of the tiny ants? How can it feel the pain of the microscopic ants? These are the questions going through my mind as I re-read the bills passed by our glamorous senators.

The disparity in everything ranging from standard of living to total needs that exist between the senators and the common Nigerian would hardly allow them to understand the needs of the people. Otherwise, why would people elected to represent the good people of Nigeria turn around and accept changes that would only affect the common Nigerian adversely.

The one that touched me most is the issue of child marriage, why would a man in his right senses want to marry a girl less than fifteen years old? Won’t it amount to paedophilia?

Coming to the issue of local Government autonomy, we all know that local governments are being marginalised by the state governments and as Such cannot discharge its duties effectively; the bill should have been an avenue to liberate local governments from the chains and captivity of state governments.

The last but not the least is the adoption of the section which rejects the president’s assent of the amended constitution before being applicable. I ask myself, why would the senate adopt this section? I realised that they crave the power to do and undo without proper regulation. We try in many ways to be like developed countries but we fail to imitate the honourable things they do.

I strongly believe that someone closer to the ground will always have a better understanding of what the ground looks like. But in this case the people representing us are like elephants which can hardly even see us the ants. I thank God for the House of Representatives which have shown some promise.

I advocate for a Nigeria whereby the leaders will seek public opinions to better understand the needs of the common man. A Nigeria whereby the elephants will bend down and ask the ants what they need. Yes, only then can we truly reap the dividends of democracy.