Emodi was an able legislative bridge builder

Emodi’s sin can be summarised as her not knowing how to call a spade a hoe. I recall reading her interview in Vanguard Newspaper sometime in 2012 on her mode of operation. She said: “I dialogue with lawmakers a lot; and I convey exactly their views and feelings on issues to Mr President, for all […]

Emodi’s sin can be summarised as her not knowing how to call a spade a hoe. I recall reading her interview in Vanguard Newspaper sometime in 2012 on her mode of operation. She said: “I dialogue with lawmakers a lot; and I convey exactly their views and feelings on issues to Mr President, for all my life, I have never known how to play what Nigerians call “eye service”.
I owe it to him (the President), my conscience, and indeed Nigerians to tell him the truth at all times.” Sadly for her, she forgot that in the coven of witches, decent fingernails are an anathema.
As a newspaper was later to report, her sack was all about an alleged serious disagreement between a few pro-dialogue elements among the president’s aides spearheaded by Senator Emodi and a predominant group of pro-militancy Villa cabal. She was reported to have seriously frowned at an attempt to factionalise NASS and build parallel structures through financial inducements. She favoured dialogue, diplomacy, and rap-prochement with members of NASS, especially since the Presidency had no hands in the emergence of NASS leadership.
It turned out to be the final straw that broke the camel’s back in her serial brushes with the cabal over her distaste for rash talks and brash conducts of some presidential aides towards the NASS. One of such brushes went public when presidential aides like Ahmed Gulak, Doyin Okupe, and Labaran Maku took pride in running their mouths on the institution of the National Assembly and its members and leadership. Emodi issued a statement distancing herself and the President from such ignominy, insisting that, “those to whom the statements were credited were on their own”. She observed that “any gray areas should always been sorted cordially through dialogue inspired by mutual institutional and individual respect without resorting to the press”.
However, her removal notwith-standing, Emodi will walk with her head high not only as a loyal amazon who understood loyalty as telling truth to power, but one who also succeeded beyond measures as the President’s envoy to the NASS. It is on record that no executive bill failed throughout her tenure.
 
Malachy Okonta,  Surulere, Lagos