Are you honourable members or horrible members?-Patrick Lumumba

An anti-corruption advocate told federal lawmakers on Wednesday that Nigeria's development has been slow for far too long, owing to a lack of visionary leadership.

Patrick Lumumba, a former director of Kenya's anti-corruption commission, also asked the Nigerian legislators whether they are "honourable members" or "horrible members."

He asked late nationalists Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikwe how much of their legacies had been preserved and referred the lawmakers to them.

He said the clarity of vision and the instinct to marshall people is the antidote to tackle Nigeria’s many challenges, as this was what worked for the nation’s founding fathers.

The don who is also the Director, Kenya School of Laws, spoke at the launch of the House of Representatives Green Chamber magazine Wednesday in Abuja.

“Nigeria has been becoming great for too long,” Mr Lumumba said in his speech. “The time is now that Nigeria must be great. In fact, Nigeria should be in the same space economically as Germany is; Nigeria should be in the same space politically as the United States is.”

“You are the successors of Nigeria’s great leaders. The question that you must ask yourself now that you have been given the honour and privilege of serving Nigeria, you should ask yourself, are you honorable members or horrible members?” he asked amidst laughter from his audience.

According to him, whether members are “honorable” or “horrible” is determined by the kind of service they provide to Nigerians. He urged lawmakers to be servants of the people rather than masters, with the primary purpose of delivering the common good to Nigerians.

“Now that Nigerians have given you the opportunity to think for them, the question is: are you midwives of the good things of Nigeria, or are you midwives that kill the children of the creator.