In Nigeria, sexual misconduct by public office holders are at best
discussed in hushed voices. When it relates to the high and mighty like
lawmakers, they are sometimes celebrated. Sex in high places has indeed
brought down men in their political prime. Dominique Strauss-Khan, the
former IMF chief and then leading contender for the Socialist Party’s
presidential ticket in France lost his good place in French history to
his involvement with a hotel maid in the US. Silvio Berlusconi, the once
untouchable Italian Prime Minister, was found guilty of paying for sex
with an underage prostitute in 2013. US Senator, John Ensign resigned
his position in 2011 after acknowledging an affair with a former
campaign staff following a Senate ethics probe.
Nigerians were, therefore, last week jolted by the ‘news’ that three
members of the House of Representatives are now subjects of
investigation in the United States, having been accused of sexual
misconduct and attempted rape while on a visitors’ programme in the US.
The allegation was made public by the US’ highest representative in
Nigeria, its ambassador, James Entwistle, in a letter to the Speaker of
the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara. A formal report from an ambassador to a
host country underscores the veracity and seriousness of the matter in
question. The three lawmakers, Samuel Ikon, Muhammed Garba Gololo and
Mark Gbillah were on a US International Visitors Leadership Programme
(IVLP) in Cleveland, Ohio, when the incident was said to have occurred
in April, this year.
The IVLP is a programme of the US Department of State that brings
“current and emerging leaders from across the world to the US to meet
with professionals and their counterparts. Their itinerary typically
starts from Washington to three cities within the country that highlight
the ‘tremendous diversity’ of the American society… International
visitors also share their culture and offer insight into the best
practices and perspectives with their hosts in the US”.
The core essence of cultural exchange, to me, is what our members of
the House betrayed in their excesses or sexual escapades in the US, if
the allegations are proven to be true. Without meaning to profile the
lawmakers or prejudge them before the outcome of the House
investigation, what they did amounted to exporting the worst side of our
social interaction among the opposite sex, and, in the process, reveals
that they were not good ambassadors of the country. The IVLP is a
cherished programme for privileged participants. Distinguished Alumni of
the IVLP such as Tony Blair, Hamid Karzai, Anwar Sadat, Dilma Rouseff,
John Kuffour, etc., all became leaders of their countries due, in part,
to the impact of the programme. Many Nigerians from all disciplines:
academia, government, civil societies, media etc. have, at one time or
the other, participated with impressive records. It is disheartening
that the supposed honourable lawmakers, held in high esteem, are the
ones that have brought the country into disrepute. The scandal is so
serious it deserves thorough and exhaustive investigations. This is the
least we can do as a nation to redeem our image, and much better if the
lawmakers can prove their innocence.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment