Sitting Row : Natasha Like Rosa Parks Deserves A Seat of Honor
In the unfolding drama of Nigerian politics, the ongoing sitting row between Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio has ignited a raging fire across the political landscape. Much like the historic defiance of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white man in 1955, Natasha’s bold resistance against perceived injustice is drawing national and international attention. Both women, though separated by time , geography and space, they both share a striking similarity— l mean their refusal to be silenced in the face of oppression.
Natasha vs. Akpabio:
A Political Firestorm
The controversy between Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio began a fortnight ago as a dispute over seating arrangements in the Nigerian Senate. However, what initially seemed like a minor protocol issue has since evolved into a deeply political and personal confrontation, exposing allegations of corruption, discrimination, and even sexual misconduct of unimaginable dimension.
Akpabio’s alleged history of sex scandals has resurfaced amid this row, with Natasha boldly taking the fight to the court of public opinion and the court of Competent jurisdiction.
Her revelations, which some describe as the unsealing of a Pandora’s box, have left the nation divided. While some view her as a disruptor of entrenched political systems, others see her as a symbol of resistance—a woman standing up against power abuse in a male-dominated political space with notoriety for odious record.
In my candid estimation,this battle is not just about seating arrangements which we all hear and see on the peripheral surface.
It is about power, gender dynamics, and the struggle for equity and fairness in governance.
Rosa Parks:
Looking at the historical perspective of what transpired in the time of Rosa Parks will refresh our memory and help us to brace up our selves in our thinking box.
As it was then in America, it was a rule for Afro Americans to stand up for white counterparts if there is no enough space for them. In Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks made history by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus. Her quiet defiance led to her arrest but also sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement.
At the time, racial segregation was legally enforced, and African Americans were expected to submit to white authority in public spaces. Rosa Parks’ refusal to stand was more than an act of defiance—it was a symbolic stand against systemic oppression. Today,l am glad to inform you that she has been honored as a national hero, her legacy immortalized on the U.S. dollar bill and in the American hall of fame.
The Common Thread: Defiance Against Injustice
Looking at Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan and Rosa Parks, l found a correlation in both of them. For sure they both found themselves in situations where they were expected to accept the status quo, yet they refused.
The action of Rosa Parks and the action of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan symbolize one thing, which is defiance against entrenched power.
Defiance Against entrenched Power:
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man, challenging America’s racial segregation laws.
Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan refused to be relegated in the Nigerian Senate, calling out political intimidation and gender bias.
A Catalyst for Change:
Rosa’s action ignited the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which eventually led to the abolition of segregation laws in America.
Natasha’s resistance is sparking conversations about gender equality in Nigerian politics, corruption, and the need for a more transparent system
where all genders can thrive unfettered.
Persecution for Their Courage:
Rosa Parks was arrested and fired from her job. Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan is today facing political backlash, including smear campaigns, threats, and attempts to undermine the Credibility of her allegations.
History’s Verdict:
From Opposition to Honor
When Rosa Parks refused to stand, she was vilified, arrested, and ostracized. However, decades later, the same government that punished her recognized its mistake, honored her, and placed her legacy in the pages of history.
If history is anything to go by, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan’s struggle will one day be seen as a turning point for Nigerian politics—a moment when a woman’s refusal to be silenced will reshape the narrative of gender and power in governance .
Final Thoughts: A Seat for Justice
The sitting row in the Nigerian Senate is not just about physical space; it is about the place of women in leadership, the fight against corruption, and the exposure of deep-seated misconduct amongst men in the corridors of power.Just as Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat led to a historic shift in America’s race relations, Natasha’s defiance may well become a defining moment in Nigeria’s political evolution.
This position may not be popular now because of people in search of stomach infrastructures, but for me I stand for sound ideology which senator Natasha
represent.
Like Rosa Parks , Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan has chosen to stand her ground. History without prejudice honored Rosa Parks. With the hindsight of history, l can see through the haize that When history will judge the row between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, the later will have undeniable victory . The verdict as it was in the case of Rosa Parks so shall it be in the trial of Senator Natasha. In a battle like this, it is not logical to seat on the offence . l dare assert that Senator Natasha deserves a seat of honor.
Remember America got independence in 1776 but women were not allowed to vote untill 1920. Those who started the early struggle that women should be allowed to vote were considered lone voices in the wilderness. Their advocacy fell on deaf ears until 1920. The time Cometh when men the likes of Senate President Godswill Akpabio Will pay for their sins. A female former Commissioner in one of the South South States confided in her sister that she needed to go abroad to do a thorough medical checkup on her body to make sure that she was medically okay because the Governor then was using her and other female Commissioners as guinea pigs with any style on tables and chairs in the office . According to Nelson Mandela, the great Madhiba, it May a long walk to freedom, but we shall surely get there.
Comrade Evang Wilson Macaulay, is a journalist and a public affairs analyst based in Warri Delta State
