Where there is will

Representative government is a type of system where a set of individuals, usually politicians, are made to represent the interest of the people, usually in parliament, making laws for the generality of the electorate. Theories of political representation often begin by specifying the terms for components. For instance, democratic theorists often limit the types of representatives being discussed to formal ones - that is, to representatives ‘who hold elected offices truly’, the people. One reason that the concept of representation remains vague is that theories of representation often apply only to particular kinds of political actors within a particular context. How individuals represent an electoral district is treated as distinct from how social movements or informal organizations represent.   Consequently, it is unclear how different forms of representation relate to each other. Andrew Rehfeld (2006) has offered a general theory of representation which simply identifies representation by reference to a relevant audience accepting a person as its representative.   Rehfeld's general theory of representation does not specify what representative do or should do in order to be recognized as a representative. And what exactly representatives do has been a hotly contested issue.   The Nigerian context of democracy and representative governance supersede the academic nuance of the discuss. The country presents a unique case for democratic practice as encapsulated by all the maladies we witness and read from politicians around the country, some of which give sour taste to the mouth and bad thud to the hearing. In the face of this, emerges the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Umar Ahmed Imam, the man who has redefined representative democracy as we know it. He proudly tells his admirers whenever he has the opportunity: “If those of us that are seen to be modestly upright in the public eye decide to stay out of politics, who then, would step in and cleanse the rot everyone is crying about?” as he says this with gaiety and triumphalism, it is surreal to see that he can be a politician that acts as detach from the stereotype. He lives a life most of us only wish and aspire, even as private citizens not in the public eye. His entry into the political space is like a breath of fresh air, giving people in his part of Kogi State, escapism. Escapism in political sense here simply refers to the act of turning corners from mediocrity to capacity. Philanthropy and capacity for impartation on the less fortunate are some of the virtues with which the Honourable Speaker delved into the political space. He had already been identified as a man determined to better lives, rather than an individual determined to accumulate riches riding on the people’s mandate.  At the time, the people of Lokoja lived the political life of servitude where ignominy and patchiness of representative individuals rose to the skies above the ability to assert what the term really means. He says the people must be made to understand the responsibility specified for any elected politician to encourage accountability and adequate service to the masses. He has, using that yardstick, continued to impact the people regularly, with his milk of human kindness that several persons can attest to. At no time have the people of Lokoja had unfettered access to an elected representative as they do Imam. On a daily basis, seas of distraught and deprived have continued to stream his residence in the face of several needs that currently pervade humanity. He has continued to throw his gate open and his mobile line on at all times. This unbind access has demonstrated to the people that those who understand governance and representative democracy as a precept, know that they are truly servants, and not masters to the people they embody. He has therefore been able to show that service to the people is not until one has access to the political office, but that it can be achieved through passion and genuine heart to serve the people. “There is a time is people’s lives when they have to understand that there is distinction between ‘drive’ and ‘will’. Rt. Hon Imam has shown that he has the will and is driven towards impacting lives, even as a lawmaker elected to represent the people of Lokoja I state constituency. Yabagi Mohammed is a journalist, public commentator, blogger, media consultant and writer in Lokoja.   is will By Yabagi Mohammed Representative government is a type of system where a set of individuals, usually politicians, are made to represent the interest of the people, usually in parliament, making laws for the generality of the electorate. Theories of political representation often begin by specifying the terms for components. For instance, democratic theorists often limit the types of representatives being discussed to formal ones - that is, to representatives ‘who hold elected offices truly’, the people. One reason that the concept of representation remains vague is that theories of representation often apply only to particular kinds of political actors within a particular context. How individuals represent an electoral district is treated as distinct from how social movements or informal organizations represent. Consequently, it is unclear how different forms of representation relate to each other. Andrew Rehfeld (2006) has offered a general theory of representation which simply identifies representation by reference to a relevant audience accepting a person as its representative. Rehfeld's general theory of representation does not specify what representative do or should do in order to be recognized as a representative. And what exactly representatives do has been a hotly contested issue. The Nigerian context of democracy and representative governance supersede the academic nuance of the discuss. The country presents a unique case for democratic practice as encapsulated by all the maladies we witness and read from politicians around the country, some of which give sour taste to the mouth and bad thud to the hearing. In the face of this, emerges the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Umar Ahmed Imam, the man who has redefined representative democracy as we know it. He proudly tells his admirers whenever he has the opportunity: “If those of us that are seen to be modestly upright in the public eye decide to stay out of politics, who then, would step in and cleanse the rot everyone is crying about?” as he says this with gaiety and triumphalism, it is surreal to see that he can be a politician that acts as detach from the stereotype. He lives a life most of us only wish and aspire, even as private citizens not in the public eye. His entry into the political space is like a breath of fresh air, giving people in his part of Kogi State, escapism. Escapism in political sense here simply refers to the act of turning corners from mediocrity to capacity. Philanthropy and capacity for impartation on the less fortunate are some of the virtues with which the Honourable Speaker delved into the political space. He had already been identified as a man determined to better lives, rather than an individual determined to accumulate riches riding on the people’s mandate.  At the time, the people of Lokoja lived the political life of servitude where ignominy and patchiness of representative individuals rose to the skies above the ability to assert what the term really means. He says the people must be made to understand the responsibility specified for any elected politician to encourage accountability and adequate service to the masses. He has, using that yardstick, continued to impact the people regularly, with his milk of human kindness that several persons can attest to. At no time have the people of Lokoja had unfettered access to an elected representative as they do Imam. On a daily basis, seas of distraught and deprived have continued to stream his residence in the face of several needs that currently pervade humanity. He has continued to throw his gate open and his mobile line on at all times. This unbind access has demonstrated to the people that those who understand governance and representative democracy as a precept, know that they are truly servants, and not masters to the people they embody. He has therefore been able to show that service to the people is not until one has access to the political office, but that it can be achieved through passion and genuine heart to serve the people. “There is a time is people’s lives when they have to understand that there is distinction between ‘drive’ and ‘will’. Rt. Hon Imam has shown that he has the will and is driven towards impacting lives, even as a lawmaker elected to represent the people of Lokoja I state constituency.