Nigeria, July 27 -- Across Nigeria's political landscape, legislative offices - from local government councils to the National Assembly - are increasingly judged by the volume of handouts, not the quality of legislative work. The public has been conditioned to celebrate transformers over transparency, and food donations over functional laws. This represents a worrying drift from the true purpose of legislative institutions.

The word "Legislature" is derived from Latin: lex (law) and latum (to bring forth). The term underscores the fundamental role of the legislator - to bring forth laws. Not seasoning cubes. Not sewing machines. Not ceremonial appearances.

As defined by the University of Oxford's Department of Politics and International...