By Femi Ogunshola
My phone will announce the name of whoever is calling.
So, yesterday evening, just as I was about to enter a “no-call” zone, my phone rang.
The voice announcement was unmistakable:
“The Deputy Governor of Kwara State is calling you.”
For a moment, I hesitated. I was about entering a place where I normally do not take calls.
But something made me pause, and I eventually answered.
The voice on the other end sounded unusually troubled.
I will share an infinitesimal of our discussion here
“Femi, I saw your post on Kwara South,” he said.
“Do you really mean what you wrote, that people within our party are angry with us?”
“That is the bitter truth, Your Excellency,” I replied. I get feedback sir from every nooks and crannies of Kwara South
There was a brief silence.
“But what do you think we can do?”
I made my suggestions, even though I understood the limitations within which he operates
But what followed from him was profound.
It was candid, emotional, and, in many ways, revealing.
I am putting his words here, unedited:
“Femi, Danladi must become governor.
Femi, I want Danladi to win.
As for me, I am not angry. That is how God designed my path.
I would rather allow an APC governor to jail me than allow Bukola Saraki to stage a comeback via PDP
Though Kale Kawu was good to me, I will fight for Danladi to win with the last drop of my blood.
I cannot take the shame of losing an election to the PDP because it would be too much for me to bear.
I will leave this town in shame and be ashamed of myself if Bukola comes back to power.
For me, I am not bothered about anything.
That is how God wants it.
Next time could be mine because I understand power and how it works
Some people say I should fight Gov AA. I said NEVER; I cannot. We are family. Why would I fight my benefactor
I will be with him when those who are asking me to fight the governor leave.
I cannot fight my governor, and I never will.
Talking about my purported resignation, I am too smart to resign.
May 29, 2027, will be my happiest day because I was not impeached.
I will hold my thanksgiving at Sabo-Oke.
I have seen life.
When you read The 24 Laws of Power, you will understand what power is.
I will be 64 next year. What I have learned in these eight years is something I will never forget.
Sycophancy is one of the greatest problems in Nigeria.
If you get power, ensure that you have people around you who will tell you the truth.
If you have one or two people who will always tell you the truth, then you are lucky.
People will do anything to push you away from power.
If anyone wants to harm the governor, I will inform him or his family and run away in case they want to harm me.
I do not want to be governor because of the misfortune of anyone.
I want to support Danladi for governor.”
I listened.
And when the call ended, I found myself thinking deeply about what I had just heard.
What struck me most was not simply the declaration of support for Danladi.
It was the understanding of power behind the words.
And perhaps that is why the warning about sycophancy matters.
In politics, everyone wants to be close to power.
Very few people are willing to tell power the truth.
And when the applause becomes louder than the truth, leaders should begin to worry.
Yesterday’s conversation reminded me of one thing:
Power is temporary.
Relationships are fragile.
Political fortunes change.
But the choices we make while we have power can follow us for a lifetime.
That is the bitter lesson of politics and perhaps, the greatest lesson of life.
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