GROUNDED ORDERS, FLYING FREEDOM: NATASHA’S UNEXPECTED POLITICAL THRILLER
…Of helicopters, drums and democracy, Natasha’s Sallah home coming
@Ambassador T. Brikins
A few years ago, the doyen of Nigerian comedy, Ali Baba, told me that Nigeria is a comedy. He said, “You don’t even need to be a genius to pick it—comedy abounds everywhere.” Today, I witnessed a full-blown satirical drama unfold—not on Netflix, but live in Ihima, Kogi State, Nigeria.
What happened in Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s nativity could pass for an award-winning political thriller. Nobody saw it coming. But it came—with suspense, surprise, drums, dances, ululations, and a white helicopter cutting through the sky. It flew boldly over a tactless chivalry of ground forces—curfews, bans, blockades—all grounded by a government’s executive indiscretion.
In a country where the Constitution boldly grants the right to freedom of assembly, movement, and expression, a sitting Senator needed to defy police threats and a state-imposed ban just to celebrate Sallah with her people.
She didn’t come with a manifesto; she came with joy. She didn’t call for protest; she called for celebration. Yet, the system responded with hostility, suspicion, and fear.
Natasha stood her ground. With grace and grit, she declared: “This is not campaign season. I’m not breaking any law. I’m here to celebrate with my people.” And just like that, democracy took flight, literally and figuratively.
Her Ukrainian-Nigerian heritage tells the backstory of resilience. Ukraine has taught the world how to face down giants. And today, she echoed that spirit—choosing to meet her people in the open, not behind walls of fear.
In truth, this isn’t just Natasha’s story—it’s Nigeria’s. Where elected representatives must battle gatekeepers to reach the electorate, and state forces act as partisan tools, not protectors of the law.
Yet, her helicopter rose. Her people sang. And her presence reminded us what best democratic practice should look like: dialogue over decree, freedom over fear, representation over repression.
Today, the senator didn’t just visit; she resisted. She didn’t just show up; she showed courage. And in doing so, she reminded us that even in a land drowning in contradictions, freedom still flies—sometimes in a white chopper.
@Ambassador T. Brikins
Mass Communications and Competitive Intelligence Consultant/ Advocate for Democracy
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