History of stolen maces in Nigeria

By Richard P. Ngbokai

Investigations have shown that snatching of mace, the symbol of
authority in the Nigerian lawmaking institutions as witnessed
yesterday at the National Assembly had a root in First Republic’s
wester region(1965) following the crisis that ensued between the
leadership of the defunct Action Group (AG) and the premier of the
region.

As a result of the crisis, Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo led some
members of the Western Assembly to remove the premier, Chief Samuel
Akintola and the governor of the region. Consequently, the
development split the lawmakers into two factions thereby leading
to a mild drama on the floor of the House; and in the process a
member representing Badagry east, Mr Ebubedike snatched the mace
and made away with it.

In a related development, a year after the return of democracy
from decades of military dictatorship, Nigeria witnessed a second
incident of mace snatching at the National Assembly in Abuja. Just
like the case in the western region but this resulted from a clash
of interest between the president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the
leader of the senate Chuba Okadigbo.

As a result of the crisis between the two leaders, some senators
loyal to the president moved for the impeachment of the senate
president Chief Chuba Okadigbo, and because he knew the
significance of the mace in legislative proceedings, the senate
leader sneaked away from the National Assembly with the mace to his
house in Abuja before he eventual shipped it away to his village in
Anambra in a bid to frustrate his impeachment process.

The same thing happened in Rivers state in 2013 during the reign
of Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as the state governor then. It was also
tussle between two political blocs in the state that had divided
the state House of Assembly, one loyal to Amaechi and the other to
the then state minister for education and the current governor
Nyesom Wike. 27 members were loyal to the governor and five pledged
loyalty to Wike.

The crisis started when the five members on Wike bloc announced
their move to impeach the speaker of the house Mr. Otelemabama
Amachree, 27 other members loyal to Amaechi decided to take away
the mace and the battle ensued until three of the five members were
injured.

Similarly, on 24th September, 2013, a mace mysteriously
disappeared from the Kaduna state house of assembly in the heat of
the political struggle in the house to impeach its speaker then
Alhaji Usman Gangara, and other leaders of the state legislative
house.

A committee was set up to investigate the disappearance of the
mace. The speaker was found culpable and he was suspended three
months.

By Richard P. Ngbokai

Investigations have shown that snatching of mace, the symbol of
authority in the Nigerian lawmaking institutions as witnessed
yesterday at the National Assembly had a root in First Republic’s
wester region(1965) following the crisis that ensued between the
leadership of the defunct Action Group (AG) and the premier of the
region.

As a result of the crisis, Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo led some
members of the Western Assembly to remove the premier, Chief Samuel
Akintola and the governor of the region. Consequently, the
development split the lawmakers into two factions thereby leading
to a mild drama on the floor of the House; and in the process a
member representing Badagry east, Mr Ebubedike snatched the mace
and made away with it.

In a related development, a year after the return of democracy
from decades of military dictatorship, Nigeria witnessed a second
incident of mace snatching at the National Assembly in Abuja. Just
like the case in the western region but this resulted from a clash
of interest between the president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the
leader of the senate Chuba Okadigbo.

As a result of the crisis between the two leaders, some senators
loyal to the president moved for the impeachment of the senate
president Chief Chuba Okadigbo, and because he knew the
significance of the mace in legislative proceedings, the senate
leader sneaked away from the National Assembly with the mace to his
house in Abuja before he eventual shipped it away to his village in
Anambra in a bid to frustrate his impeachment process.

The same thing happened in Rivers state in 2013 during the reign
of Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as the state governor then. It was also
tussle between two political blocs in the state that had divided
the state House of Assembly, one loyal to Amaechi and the other to
the then state minister for education and the current governor
Nyesom Wike. 27 members were loyal to the governor and five pledged
loyalty to Wike.

The crisis started when the five members on Wike bloc announced
their move to impeach the speaker of the house Mr. Otelemabama
Amachree, 27 other members loyal to Amaechi decided to take away
the mace and the battle ensued until three of the five members were
injured.

Similarly, on 24th September, 2013, a mace mysteriously
disappeared from the Kaduna state house of assembly in the heat of
the political struggle in the house to impeach its speaker then
Alhaji Usman Gangara, and other leaders of the state legislative
house.

A committee was set up to investigate the disappearance of the
mace. The speaker was found culpable and he was suspended three
months.