Emmanuel Etim|29 June 2016|8:07am
INTRODUCTION
The legislature is one of the arms of a representative democratic government saddled with the responsibility of making laws. The other two are the judiciary and and the executive whose responsibilities include interpreting and executing the laws respectively. The legislature plays a critical role in the sustenance and advancement of democracy and the legislature in Cross River State is fulfilling its constitutional role in the state.
The 8th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo has performed exceptionally and has taken legislating beyond surface intelligence in Cross River State. This has set the state as a model in Nigeria in this dispensation and provides hope for a better future for the legislature in Nigeria.
The purpose of this treatise thus is to take a critical look at legislating in the 21st Century Nigeria, consider legislating beyond surface intelligence with Cross River State legislature under the leadership of Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo, the Speaker, as a model and by so doing inspire a new age for the legislature in Nigeria.
SURFACE INTELLIGENCE AND LEGISLATION
The Merrian-webster Dictionary defines intelligence as the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situation. It is further defined as the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria. Surface intelligence can thus be seen as superficial understanding of issues and dealing with them without deep consideration and action.
Being that legislators are at the frontline in the process of creation and evolution of contemporary soial phenomena, it is important that they have deep insight and understanding of issues as they affect their constituents and the people they represent in order to be able to provide the solution architecture for the development of the society.
In an earlier treatise, I had elucidated on the role of representatives as decision architects of the knowledge economy. The truth is, legislators are not just decision architects but also solution architects and must be able to craft clear cut solution architecture for modern socio-economic challenges as well as create legislative frameworks required as vehicles of development for our state and nation.
Legislators must not only be law makers but social psychologists, economic strategists, environmental experts, modern development proponents and many more if they must meet modern challenges. Until and unless they are able to appreciate this thoughts and move up to the challenge, then they will not begin to legislate beyond surface intelligence.
BEYOND SURFACE INTELLIGENCE; THE NEED FOR DEEP VISION AND CLEAR STRATEGY
From the foregoing, it is lucid that many legislators in the country are exhibiting mere surface intelligence with singular perspective understanding of their roles as legislators and they are yet able to exhaust the content of the issues and responsibilities that are bestowed upon them. Another important issue is the fact that often legislators are more concerned about politics rather than the consolidated intellectual decision and solution architecture that are required to meet emerging challenges in our society.
These have led us to a situation where the legislature is seen as ineffective and is not able to meet its strategic objectives in the face of changing social and economic problems facing our nation in general and state in particular.
The way out of this is for legislators to have deep vision on critical issues at national and sub-national levels and evolve the legislative framework that will bring solutions to these issues. Legislators must also systematically transition from political democracy to economic democracy giving precedence to the pressing need for socio-economic development of the states and the nation.
This is where the legislature in Cross River State under the leadership of Rt. Hon. (Barr.) John Gaul Lebo has become a model in Nigeria worthy of emulation by legislature in other states and at the federal level. Rt. Hon. Lebo has achieved this by establishing legislative and technical reference templates that are next to none in Nigeria.
In addition, he has employed an engagement strategy that expands the deep conversation platform to include a large spectrum of stakeholders including state and non state actors, Civil Society Organizations CSOs, Organized Private Sector OPS, community and thought leaders, youth, women and many more. The engagement strategy has also improved the depth of the conversation by providing stakeholders engagement opportunities both before and after the bills are passed.
The legislature in Cross River State is indeed blessed to have a man like Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo who is a globally renowned solution architect and celebrated law maker to pilot its affairs. It is clear that this is why the Legislature was able to achieve so much in the past one year in the state; passing about 18 bills and 48 motions and more than 21 other bills pending and at different stages of consideration.
CONCLUSION
Legislating beyond surface intelligence in Nigeria is a task that must be achieved. The legislature in Cross Rive State under the leadership of Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo has set the pace in this direction, Other state legislature and the national assembly must emulate this to help achieve the fast track development needed in the country.
Emmanuel Etim
Special Adviser
Research and Strategy
Office of the Hon. Speaker
