What Are Lawmakers Saying About Rape?
There’s one thing I have noticed about our lawmakers or let me say our politicians— they’re only concerned about themselves. I recall when Nigerian senators fumed over the two million Christmas allowance given to them by the leadership of the house. They went on to call it “a mere drop.” Imagine, this was a period when many households in Nigeria couldn’t afford to buy a chicken. Anyway, that wasn’t the first time our lawmakers were speaking in one voice, they do whenever the issue at hand is all about them— their monthly allowance to be specific.
It’s no longer a news that the rapists in Nigeria are on the prowl. They had touched and still touching the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. In this month of June alone, more than 20 cases of rape have been reported. These were just the reported cases. What about those who haven’t gone to the appropriate authorities? These are the people who believe that their rapists wouldn’t be brought to book and would go scot-free because of our namby-pamby judicial system. These are the people who don’t want the society to condemn them.
A few weeks ago, when a 100-level student of University of Benin, Vera Omozuwa was raped and murdered, her tragic death sparked reactions among the citizens. Our mainstream media published tons articles from concerned Nigerians who wrote that the law which guides rape should be reviewed. The life imprisonment as a punishment for rape should be emptied in a waste bin. Rapists should be given a death sentence or castrated, a friend suggested. We had not stopped grieving over Vera Omozuwa’s death, then, another Bello Barakat 18, was raped and murdered in Ibadan. Also in Jigawa, a 12-year-old was gang-raped by 12 able-bodied men.
However, after several calls on our lawmakers by concerned Nigerians over the strutting rape cases, they later picked the call. What happened after? One Hon James Faleke stood up and recommended that any person found guilty of rape should be castrated. His position would later be countered. The debate continued and Alhaji Ahmed Jaha gave a shallow reason for rape which offended the sensibility of women. Women dressings expose them to rape? What about Barakat who didn’t dress indecently but was raped and murdered? His position didn’t go down well with many Nigerians as he was almost torn in two through online protests. He later apologized.
Since the last time the house sat over the increasing rape cases, there have not been any progressive conclusion on it. This is not a welcome idea for an issue that needs a fast decision. Didn’t the lawmakers know that these rapists are still on the prowl. This week alone, our mainstream media reported nothing less than five rape cases. Instead of our lawmakers to sit and conclude on a punishment that will reduce the rate at which our women are being assaulted by these rapists, they were busy discussing on why Nigeria should retaliate the staff quarters of Nigerian High Commission that was demolished in Ghana. Shall we ask our lawmakers what they are saying about rape?
Aremu Lukman Umor, Lagos