WHAT IS A CEREMONIAL MACE?
A ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before sovereign or other high officials in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, to represent the official’s authority. The mace as used today derives from the original mace used as a weapon. Processions often feature maces, as on parliamentary or formal academic occasions.
HISTORY OF THE MACE
The mace originated in the Ancient Near East, where they were used as symbols of rank and authority across the region during the late Stone age, Bronze age and early Iron age. In later Mesopotamian art, the mace is more clearly associated with authority; by the Old Babylonian period the most common figure on cylinder seals is a repeated type now known as “The Figure with Mace” who wears a royal hat, holds a mace in his left hand and is thought to represent a generic king.
Eastern Roman Empire
Some officials of the medieval eastern roman empire carried maces for either practical or ceremonial purposes. Notable among the protoallagator, a military-judicial position that existed by about the 10th century A.D and whose symbols of office were reported by the Palaiologana writer Pseudo-Kodinos in the 14th century to include a silver-gilt mace (matzouka). At this time the duties of the protoallagator included commanding the emperor’s personal allagion, his military retinue. The ceremonial function of the mace may have passed to the late Roman Empire from the ancient Near East by way of Persia, and from there to other European cultures.
SYMBOLISM AND USE OF THE MACE
The Mace of SPC is the symbol not only of the royal authority but of the authority of the House. As it has been stated that ‘the authority of the Speaker and of the House are indivisible’, it also symbolises the authority of the Speaker.
When the Speaker is in the chair, the Mace lies on the table, with the orb and cross surmounting it pointing to the government side, that is, to the speaker’s right. The only time that the Mace is not removed from the table when the Speaker leaves the chair is when he or she has temporarily suspended a sitting of the House (perhaps for a meal break). The Mace remains on the table during the whole of the suspension.
The Sergeant-At-Arms is custodian of the Mace. Bearing the Mace upon the right shoulder, the Sergeant-at-Arms precedes the Speaker when the Speaker enters and leaves the Chamber at the beginning and the end of a day’s sitting.
The Mace, carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms, has become an important symbol of the authority of the Speaker and of the House itself. There is a view that the House is not properly constituted unless the Mace is present on the brackets in the chamber.
THE HISTORY OF THE MACE IN OGITECH
OGITECH had their first student mace via the association of the Student Union Government (S.U.G)Led by Rt. Hon. Olawoyin Afeez (Pka DANGOTE) as at 2018, Under the leadership of the S.U.G president Comrade Kolapo Oluwatobi Ezekiel ( Pka T.BANKS).The mace being the symbolic representation of authority and honour was properly handed over to Rt. Hon. Bankole Maleek Sesan as the Speaker elect for the 2019/2020 academic session, under the leadership of the president Elect for 2019/2020 academic session Comrade Ogunleye Eniola oluwatosin. It’s something worth celebrating. The faculty of engineering took a quantum leap to be the first faculty in the history of OGITECH to bear the mace and the second bearer of the mace in the whole institute after the Student Union Government (S.U.G). This is a well deserving respect to the Faculty of Engineering. The mace was launched by RT Hon. Bankole Maleek Sesan(Pka Aluta-Revival)in support with the present S.U.G president the person of Comrade Ogunleye Oluwatosin Eniola (Pka Ennycipation) at the multipurpose hall on the 18th of December 2020; present at the occasion was the NAPES executive 2019/2020 academic sectionLed by Comrade Akingbola Akindipe Olanrewaju(NAPES PRESIDENT), the faculty speaker RT Hon. Obedeke Jubilee Osaze, Comrade Balogun Abdul Afeez (Vice president), the departmental EXCOS 2019/2020 academic section and all the students’ body. The mace was carried by the acting Sergeant-at-Arms Onilude Gbemileke Ayomide P.K.A Ikeoluwa.
KUDOS TO ALL NAPES CEC/SPC 19/20 ACADEMIC SESSION, LED BY THE GALLANT PRESIDENT, COMRADE AKINGBOLA AKINDIPE OLANREWAJU FOR THE JOB WELDONE.
GOD BLESS NAEEES,
GOD BLESS NAMES,
GOD BLESS NACOMES,
GOD BLESS NACES,
GOD BLESS NAPES…
GOD BLESS OGITECH STUDENTS UNION…
GOD BLESS OGUNSTATE
GOD BLESS NIGERIA…
NAPES LEADS… OTHERS FOLLOW
