THE HEARTBEATS OF A CONCERNED LAGOSIAN

It truly hots up my heart and heartbeats when I look at the current crop of political gladiators in our country. What I see are not leaders shaped by the search and preference for merit or a genuine desire to serve, but rather products of a dysfunctional political culture —one rooted in hypocrisy, compromise, and a toxic blend of godfatherism and selective politics.

What we call “elections” are, in reality, oftentimes nothing more than sham selections —stage-managed by caucuses, party overlords, and power brokers who prioritise loyalty to corrupt interests over competence and integrity.

Taste the Goodness: EL Blends All-Natural Cold-Pressed Juices

The processes are riddled with favouritism, secrecy, and sometimes outright evil manipulation designed to produce men and women who are not independent thinkers, but remote-controlled puppets — tools for the looting of local, state, and national resources.

Even worse, many of these appointees —driven by desperation and ambition — are rumoured to enter into diabolical covenants just to secure political favour. This is not leadership. It is a betrayal of public trust. It is a sell-out of conscience, a compromise of soul, and a sacrifice of future generations on the altar of greed.

A recent example is the last local government “election” in Lagos —a rather tragic compromise that further exposed the rottenness of the system. Political actors fought not for service, but for control over appointments such as chairmenships, supervisory councillorships, secretaries to local governments, and other selective positions that serve as gateways to personal enrichment.

To those who have been “selected” through such flawed processes, let me leave you with this truth: whatever seed you sow during your time in office, you —and your generations — will surely reap. You may think you’ve won today, but history has always been unkind to leaders who used power to exploit, rather than to uplift. Your family name will carry the burden of your actions. Your legacy will be judged not just by today’s headlines but by the future’s harsh verdict.

So, as you assume office, ask yourself: What future am I building? Will my name be remembered with pride or shame? Because the system may protect you today, but time and truth will not forget.

A word is enough for the wise.

Oladapo Abiodun