Senator Dino Melaye decided to spice up his dress sense by appearing in an usual manner to the amazement of his colleagues at the upper chamber.
Dino Melaye
For about two hours, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), turned the floor of the Red Chamber into his palace cum shrine, leaving his colleagues perplexed.
From all corners, senators were heard shouting: “Babalawo, Kabiyesi and masquerade,” when Senator Dino Melaye walked into the Upper Chamber, last Wednesday, for the day’s legislative activities.
Melaye, who is neither a presiding officer nor a principal officer, came into the chamber together with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and principal officers of the Upper Chamber.
Traditionally, the arrival of the Senate President is announced with a shout of “Mr. Senate President,” by the sergeant-at-arms, who is the custodian of the chamber’s symbol of authority, the mace.
With the announcement, all persons in the chamber, including senators, cameramen, clerk of the Senate and his team, journalists and legislative aides are expected to remain standing until the Senate president seats.
In line with this tradition, all the persons in the chamber, on that interesting day, stood up for the arrival of Saraki. Then, behold, came also the Kogi State senator in an unusual dressing. The party walked into the chamber around 10.50am.
Wearing a blue Aso-Oke, with an orange cap knitted with beads, Melaye used white fly-whisks to illuminate his dressing. On his neck, Melaye, who is from Okun speaking part of Kogi State, wore four different beads.
This highly distracted other senators who teased him generally with his usual appearance.