THE baboon is not a recluse among animals. It is very vivacious, agile and happy-go-lucky. It loves eating, though not a glutton. It only has knack for attempting different delicacies. The one it likes most are eggs hatched freshly by wild birds.

Mother baboon was elated one day and called on the boldest of its kids to go in search of fresh eggs laid by Cassowary, a big bird in the neighbourhood. Trust the brave kid, it returned with a cup size egg laid by Cassowary. Mother baboon was about taking the egg from its kid when it stopped stiff.

Then it asked its boy; “What was the response of the big bird when you took the egg.

”Aaaa”, replied the boy, “Cassowary only nodded wryly but did nothing”.

“No-no...you fool, take the egg back as quickly as you can, and thereafter make a profuse gesture of apology to convince Cassowary that you meant no evil”. Confused, the boy returned the egg and did as the mother directed.

Not long after, mother baboon bellowed to the son again. “Go down the valley where fowl lay eggs and fetch for me the freshest you can lay hands on.” When the boy returned, she repeated the question she had asked earlier. “What did the old fowl do when you took the egg?”

Then replied the boy, “The fowl no take am easy ooo. It sprang up instantly, showed fearsome aggression as if determined to retrieve the egg. I almost dropped the egg, but as I ran out of its territory, the fowl became calm and returned to her nest.”

Mother baboon smiled contentedly and took the egg from her son, saying, “this egg we can eat and go to sleep without a fear of danger.” Mother baboon left the boy very curious and so, it asked its mother why he considered the non-aggressive Cassowary a no-go area, and a visibly aggressive foul, a pliable neighbour.

Mother baboon said to the boy, “Cassowary is world’s most dangerous bird, so unassuming that it could strike and kill at will if offended, and, at a time, least expected. That it kept quiet when you took its egg never meant that she had let go. The nod it gave when you took the egg meant that she had marked you for revenge. The fowl only showed open aggression, but deep down, she would not do more than that. So, son never step on the toe of anyone who would not yell and complain, because you may not know the next step he or she may take to revenge”.

For the past five weeks, the House of Representatives has been treated to theatrics and tantrums by some members who have been honking about allegation of corruption against the leadership.  Being the head, Speaker Dimeji Bankole is the target. If wishes were horses for members of the progressives in the House led by Honourable Dino Melaye, Bankole would have been impeached as speaker the moment the allegations hit the airwaves.

Dino, in addition to alleging that Bankole embezzled the 2009 and 2010 capital vote of the House to the tune of N9 billion, released some documents ostensibly to serve as a proof of his allegation. Since last week, however, pages of national dailies have been awashed with thunderous reports on how corrupt the House leadership has been. There has been no whimper from the leadership except its resolve to exercise a right of reply to allegations so levelled through the same media which took reports from Dino and his aggrieved colleagues. Nigerians like to listen to lawmakers like Dino, who will brave the odds to call leaders thief, whether or not a scientific proof exist.

In this regard, Dino, for those who are familiar with the nature of unbridled shenanigans in the lower house, has been exhibiting all he has against the leadership. He had seemingly acted like the fowl that must show aggression by merely flapping wings at the sight of an invader.

The truth of the matter is that Dino had, almost a year ago, thrown up a similar tantrum against the leadership, following an accusation of corruption he levelled against the House Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha.

He told the world that Ihedioha, a principal officer alone ‘chopped’ the sum of N150 million set aside for organising programmes for celebration of 10th year of democracy in Nigeria. He boasted that he had the signature of 220 members of the House to send the Whip to the dungeon. But when the chips were down, Dion capitulated, and embarrassingly so, to the chagrin of his own cheerleaders, including the media. From then on, he lost the opportunity to chair a committee of the House, having voluntarily resigned from chairmanship of Information Committee. He escaped stiffer sanctions by a hair’s breadth.

The game, which is on in the House now, has a good expression in the story of the Cassowary known for taking revenge at a time least expected. The Cassowary here is the House leadership favoured exceedingly with monopoly of intrigue, sanctions and violence. If Dino really can survive that, then he would become a hero, everybody’s hero.