The Senators Fiasco of 2018 in Akan Essien’s Dialogue of Angels
ABSTRACT
The problem in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber is as a result of corruption and quest for money and political power. Embezzlements of public’s funds has lead to the tussle between senate majority and minority members in the house, sequel to these, the upper house which supposed to be the law making body in 2018 turned to be the body that flag dawn the constitution.
INTRODUCTION
Akan Essien’s Dialogue of Angels is a novel that mirrors the problems of the senate in 2018. The year was a very crucial year in Nigeria because it was a year of democratic transition of power in the different arms of government; the year was mark with violence starting from the presidency to the local level.
Senators who were regarded as law makers turns to be law breakers and principal offender of the law. Self-interest and political parties’ interest become the order of the day. Cross-carpeting from one political party to another of various senators in the quest to be re-elected by the poor electorate whom they have exploited in the first four year in office. Impeachment of different senators became the order of the house which counter mount to instability of the country’s economy because bills were no longer passed into law.
THE SENATOR FIASCO OF 2018 IN AKAN ESSIEN’S DIALOGUE OF ANGELS
Literature is a tool that can be used to mirror out the social ill. In Akan Essien’s Dialogue of Angels, the dialogue between Angel’s vulture and Angel Baboon is a clear dialogue between political leaders in Nigeria; Essien uses the novel to portray the level of corruption and dirty politics that is played by Nigerian politicians all in the name of achieving their aims and objectives.
The writer explore the character and attitude of Nigerian politician as they plan to embezzle government funds that is meant for social development as it is being used up by our representative whom we praised and worship everyday as our angels.
In the text, Essien satirized our senators who plan to impeach anybody that tries to apposed them or open up their covered secret thus;
But Angel Baboon, is it true that the funds you were given to replace the bulbs at St. Chop and Don Quench Park have vanished? Asked Angel Vulture. Don’t mind my detractors; it will not be well with them. Should Angels not hold money? Why should we be heaven conscious all the time? (27).
From the above extract, Nigerian politician are satirizes as leaders who embezzle public project funds and use lies and fake stories to cover up their corrupt behavior; this was seen in Nigeria Senate 2018 when a senator by name Dino Malaye was accused for embezzlement of public fund but when he was called for arrest by the D.S.S. for interrogation but he ran and hide in his house for over two weeks and later, was announced to be sick, he was escorted to the hospital by the police but on the way to the hospital, he escaped again from the police.
Later on February 2019 the same Dino Malaye that was hunted by the D.S.S. was the one who allowed standing in for the position of a senator in his senatorial district which he won and return back to senate all this he achieve due to the immunity of the office.
Essien mirror the ill of the society and the immunity of the senators in his work of art with use of “staff of heaven” which prevented angel baboon from being sentenced by other heavenly angels.
The Senators Fiasco of 2018 in Akan Essien’s Dialogue of Angels
Essien in dialogue of angels further portray the ambitious drive for women by our politician (Senators) thus:
Angel Baboon; “you drink too much wine and love women a little,” angel baboon said. “ah there you are wrong,” why? Answered Angel Baboon.
Angel Vulture: you nearly got it, the truth is I love many strange women and instead of wine, I drink strange liquors” Angel Vulture said. (29). In 2018 a Nigerian senator was accused………….
The quest for women by Nigerian politician is one of the major talks in the world; recently in 2018 a Nigerian senator was accused for sexual arrestment of a white girl during a conference in America.
Essien satirize the politics in Nigeria as a game in which God is not involved due to the high level of brutality and corruption by Nigerian politician to gain power and wheel the economic wealth of the nation. Ethnicity and cultural discrimination has finally set in to the political governance of Nigeria and thereby keep the nation in a backward state.
SUMMARY
In synopsis, Dialogue of Angels will help our leaders to make admence on their pattern of leadership and turn from their evil deed so has to exonerate the hardship and difficulties faced by our nation due to their poor and corrupt leadership style. It foretell past, present and future happenings and the evils ambitions of our political leaders and the effect of their actions which is the cause that our nation is not moving forward irrespective of the abundant natural resources that God has blessed our nation Nigeria.
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