Former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s path of conscience to choose an independent path was not betrayal but the situation of Nigerian politics, where loyalty is confused with servitude.
A United Nations official and rights advocate, Mr. Olufemi Aduwo, while faulting the position of an article titled, “A Tale of Betrayer and Broken Loyalty,” where Olushola Matthew accused Aregbesola of betraying President Bola Tinubu, claiming that the former governor of Osun undermined the latter through silence and indirect support for his crtitics, observed that such claims are historically misleading and lacks the representation of truth.
Responding in a letter titled “In Defence of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola – A Legacy Beyond Servitude,” Aduwo contended that what is termed as betrayal is in defiance with the natural evolution of political figures who carve independent paths guided by personal convictions.
The UN official also berated the notion of sycophancy as loyalty, stressing that it was Aregbesola who was wronged, and has since chosen to move forward with quiet dignity and unwavering commitment to the ideals of democracy.
Aduwo said, “In a time when sycophancy is currency and power rarely tolerates truth, Aregbesola’s silence wasn’t betrayal — it was integrity in its rawest form. Maybe the real betrayal isn’t him choosing his own path, but our addiction to power structures that punish independence and confuse loyalty with servitude.
“He didn’t walk away from loyalty — he walked toward conscience. And in doing so, he reminded us that the highest form of loyalty is the courage to tell the truth, even when silence is safer.
“If anyone has been wronged, it is perhaps Ogbeni himself, who was conspicuously discarded when his loyalty no longer served immediate strategic value. Yet, rather than erupt in indignation or self-pity, he chose the higher path: he moved forward.
“With quiet dignity and unwavering commitment to the democratic process, he continues to serve his nation in whatever capacity his conscience permits.
“Mr Matthew, history will remember Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola not as a man who betrayed, but as one who evolved. A man who rose through the ranks with sweat and substance, who governed Osun with reformist zeal, and who never allowed political patronage to suppress his intellect or silence his principles.
“Let us, therefore, desist from peddling emotional blackmail in the name of loyalty. Let us allow great men the space to differ, to grow, and if need be to walk alone. In the end, posterity, not passion, shall be the final judge.
Aduwo also hinted that while Tinubu played a key role in Aregbesola’s emergence, political mentorship should not be miscontrued as servitude.
“What you interpret as ‘ingratitude’ is, in truth, the inevitable evolution of a political actor who has chosen to pursue ideals beyond the narrow confines of fealty.
“Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is no political footnote. He is a distinguished public administrator whose pedigree in governance and grassroots mobilisation transcends the shadow of any political benefactor.
“To reduce his monumental contributions to the benevolence of a single individual is not only historically disingenuous but also politically reductive.”
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
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