As I write this article, a battle is brewing between Nigeria’s House of Representatives and the Presidency over the conferment of different merit awards on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. The House is angered and has requested that President Bola Tinubu confer the same national honor on Speaker Abbas as was conferred on Senate President Akpabio. The House also rejected the description of being the “lower chamber” compared to the Senate, asserting that both Messrs Akpabio and Abbas are “first among equals.” It has since constituted an ad hoc committee, chaired by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, to investigate the matter and report to the House within three days, effective from Wednesday, October 3, 2024.
By Bala Ibrahim
This controversy began on Tuesday when President Tinubu announced the award of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) to Senate President Akpabio and Chief Justice of Nigeria Kudirat Kekere Ekun. The President also awarded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). Dissatisfied with the honors, during a session on Wednesday, a motion of urgent public importance was introduced by one of the House members, Hon. Philip Agbese, asking the House to reject the CFR award for Abbas. The House made it clear that Representatives are not inferior to Senators and called for equal recognition of both chambers’ leadership.
After contributions from several members, a motion was moved and supported by the entire House, proposing the removal of the terms “upper chamber” and “lower chamber” from the legislative lexicon. They emphasized that both chambers of the National Assembly should be considered equal, without placing one above the other. The members insisted they are all legislators of equal dignity and therefore feel degraded when placed on different scales of recognition.
A quick look at the dictionary defines dignity as the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically. The word originates from the Latin dignitas, meaning “worth, worthiness; position, rank, status; authority, office; self-respect, grace.” Based on this definition, dignity is related to ego—it is aimed at massaging a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance. It is primarily personal and not necessarily official, nor of any real importance to the status of the country. Nothing more, nothing less.
Looking back, we may recall that the Nigerian National Honours were instituted by the National Honours Act of 1964, during the First Republic, to honor Nigerians who have rendered service to the nation. They are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria each year. The aim is simply recognition for the awardee. How they feel about it and what they make of it are the essential ingredients of the award. Nothing more, nothing less. One may choose to feel honored by the award, or feel dishonored by it. Since the issue is ego-related, the choice lies in the hands of the recipient. Some people even feel disrespected when honored with the highest of such awards. That’s the essence of self-esteem.
In 2008, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi rejected one of the highest national honors that can be bestowed on a Nigerian citizen, the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). He did so in protest of the many years of misrule since Nigeria’s independence. Gani Fawehinmi, who was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the highest legal title in Nigeria, in September 2001, preferred to call himself SAM—Senior Advocate of the Masses—an honorary title given to him by the students of Obafemi Awolowo University in 1988. He consistently placed SAM before SAN, considering it more prestigious and dignifying. This was despite the government acknowledging that his contributions helped to open up the political space and promote human rights activism. This demonstrates the role of personal choice in self-esteem.
Julius Nyerere, a teacher, Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist, governed his country first as Tanganyika’s prime minister from 1961 to 1962. On his own volition, Nyerere resigned as prime minister despite immense pressure to continue. He was perhaps the first or second African leader to step down voluntarily. One of his reasons for rejecting the presidency was his belief that the prestige of being a teacher far outweighed that of being a president. He preferred the title “Teacher” to “President” and was happiest when called “Muallim.” Again, this shows how self-esteem and personal choice play significant roles in determining dignity.
While members of the House of Representatives have the right to interpret the national award as they wish, I believe this is not an issue that should put them at odds with the Presidency. They have the right to accept the award as it is or simply reject it, without rancor. In doing so, they can create dignity out of indignity.
