A member of the Senate representing Oyo-South Senatorial District, Senator Adesoji Akanbi, tells LEKE BAIYEWU about his life outside the chamber
Did you ever have the aspiration of becoming a lawmaker in the National Assembly?
Yes, I did. I was once a member of the House of Representatives in the aborted Third Republic. This is not my first experience but this is like a fuller, more competitive, more energy sapping and more of a serious assignment than that period. Ever since then (Third Republic), I have been nursing the ambition and intention to serve my people at this level.
You said it is “energy sapping” but many Nigerians believe that senators earn far more than they do. Is this not true?
We always spend the early part of our days in the chamber, from 10am to 2pm or 3pm. After plenary, each of us may attend between two and three committee meetings, and that means one may not leave the National Assembly Complex until about 7pm. And by the time you get home, you have to prepare for the next day. Except you want to be a dormant senator, you have to prepare for the next day.
Apart from that, how will you be a member of a committee and you are about to go out for an oversight visit and you won’t prepare yourself? You have to prepare yourself. If you want to be a successful and effective lawmaker, you have to read a lot, do your research and be deep; you have to make a lot of consultations because you might end up being in a committee or a sector you were not familiar with before you came to the National Assembly. Personally, I won’t feel comfortable to be in a gathering, meeting, session or on an oversight duty without making a substantial contribution. And you can’t do that in this place if you are lazy.
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