By Tonye Clinton Jaja
I will advise Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to do a DNA test, or better still to engage experts to carry out a genealogical tracing of her origins, especially from the side of her biological mother who is a citizen of Ukraine.
I have a strong belief that Senator Natasha’s mother must be a descendant of Helen of Troy!!!
Helen of Troy is a historical character that has become a metaphor for any woman who is so astounding beautiful that it causes men with uncontrollable desires to bed such Helen of Troy women that they begin to do irrational things that they otherwise could not have done.
In the case of the original Helen of Troy, history tells us that two ancient Kingdoms of Troy and Greece went to war because of Helen of Troy. The young Prince of Troy, by the name of Paris, saw this Helen of Troy who was already the wife of King Menalus, and decided to elope with Helen of Troy. King Menalus came with his brother the King of Greece to retrieve his wife and a war ensued between the Kingdoms of Troy and Greece!!!
In the case of the Senate of the nascent 4th Republic of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, since 1999 everything has been going smoothly until along comes Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the year 2023!!!
The Senate President has alleged that part of the problem with Senator Natasha was that unlike other Senators that received an induction and orientation training, before their swearing in which took place in June 2023, Senator Natasha did not receive such training, when she was sworn in by November 2023 by virtue of a Court of Appeal judgment that declared her the winner!!!
So logically, wouldn’t it have been the necessary and reasonable thing to send her to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for her to undergo the said induction, orientation training (at no additional cost to the Senate).This is so because the said institute-NILDS is under the direct supervision of the Senate President who serves as its Chairman of the Governing Council of the said Institute!!!
Having failed to ensure that Senator Natasha underwent the mandatory orientation training for newly elected Senators can she be blamed for her ignorance of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 especially with regards to the sitting arrangements of the Senate?
Can she be further blamed for the additional crimes of “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits” which the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President laid upon her?
The historical Helen of Troy was also the victim of murderous envy and hatred by fellow women!!!
This is because some women blamed Helen of Troy for the deaths of their husbands who died during the battles between the Kingdoms of Troy and Greece.
Other women blamed Helen of Troy for being the centre of attention of the majority of men because of her outstanding beauty.
The same thing is happening to Senator Natasha as the Helen of Troy of the Nigerian Senate.
Since this saga began, has anyone noticed that not one woman Senator has spoken any kind words of support for the benefit of Senator Natasha.
Her Excellency, First Lady of the Federation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu said that the suspension of Natasha is “the needful” that the Senate has done!!!
Senator Ireti Kinigbe had no words of solace or consolation!!!
Senator Ita-Giwa bluntly said that Sexual harassment is not something that happens within the Senate.
Senator Biodun Olujimi had nothing encouraging to say in support of Natasha. To the contrary, she said that the male senators are the ones that need sympathy!!!
This is the phenomenon of Helen of Troy, other women want to clip her wings!!!
This negative reaction to Senator Natasha is against the run of play of the Senate.
Historically, for the sake of upholding its reputation as an institution, the Senate is always concerned about allegations of sexual harassment regarding any of its members.
In the year 2019, Senator Elisha Abbo was subjected to an investigation by an Ad-hoc Committee of the Senate because he was alleged to have physically assaulted a woman inside a sex toy shop in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.
One of the video sessions from that investigation panel shows the prejudicial comments and point-blank intimidation tactics of Senator Oluremi Tinubu against Senator Elisha Abbo!!!
To crown it all, to show how desperate they were to get rid of the distractions of the said Helen of Troy (Senator Natasha) Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions did not even bother to wait until the March 11th 2025 that was slated for the hearing of the case against Natasha.
According to Senator Dickson they went ahead to hear and determine Natasha’s matter on the 5th March 2025, on which date about 16 members of the said Committee were absent.
Which raises the issue of whether the said Senate Committee has not violated the requirement of quorum as spelt out in Order 102 of the Standing Orders of the Senate, 2023, which states:
“The quorum at Committee sittings shall be one-third of the membership provided the Chairman in his absence the Vice-Chairman acting in that capacity is present”.
Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja,
Executive Director,
Nigerian Law Society (NLS).
