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By Otunba (Dr.) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
National President, SpeakUp Collective Nigeria (SCN):
Power has a peculiar way of showing us who people think we are and who they wish we were. Too often, those standing closest to leaders are not friends at all, but opportunists drawn magnetically to influence never loyal, always calculating.
Consider the shocking case of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, captured by U.S. forces in a dramatic military operation on January 3, 2026, and brought to New York to face federal criminal charges. Maduro’s experience is a stark global reminder: influence and authority can vanish overnight, leaving many exposed and alone.
While Maduro held office and wielded power in Caracas, countless allies professed admiration, defended his decisions, and circled him like moths around a flame. But when international pressure and legal accountability caught up with him, that same alleged support melted away. Today, Maduro stands in a U.S. federal court pleading not guilty to narcotics and related charges a remarkable fall from the seat of an internationally recognized head of state.
This isn’t only Venezuela’s story; it is a universal truth about power and the people it attracts.
In every leadership journey whether in Caracas, Abuja, or anywhere in between there exists a cohort that applauds not because of genuine loyalty but because of proximity to power and access to advantage. These are the advisers who echo every word, defend every misstep, and shield leaders from uncomfortable truths. They grin at weak jokes and exaggerate successes. But when public authority dissolves or crises intensify, these same voices fall silent or pivot to preserve their own skins.
This is not loyalty it is survival instinct.
Maduro’s removal from office, whether one views it as justice or geopolitics, reveals how rapidly the façade of friendship can collapse. Figures once touted as allies are nowhere to be seen when decisions are made far from the corridors of influence. In court, surrounded by legal reality rather than political theater, Maduro’s self-proclaimed presidency and security have evaporated underscoring an undeniable lesson: power does not reveal friends; it reveals opportunists.
Closer to home, our own public officers must reflect deeply on this truth. When you occupy an office, the applause, convoys, and applause lines can be intoxicating. Yet, they are temporary. Relevance fades, cheers die down, and the crowd shrinks. Only those who stood with you because of principle not politics will remain when the dust settles.
Too many leaders mistakenly treat office as identity. But office is borrowed entrusted by citizens, not owned for personal aggrandizement. The Venezuelan episode teaches that when accountability arrives, it arrives swiftly and without regard for ceremonial titles.
So, how should leaders respond?
First, govern with humility, not arrogance. Power exercised with an open heart earns respect that survives beyond tenure.
Second, invest in institutions and public good, not in sycophants and praise singers.
Third, cultivate wisdom and courage to hear hard truths even when they sting.
Fourth, recognize that real legacy lies not in the proximity of followers, but in the service rendered to citizens and the resilience of the institutions you strengthen.
History is merciless to those who confuse applause with admiration and access with affection. Leaders whose moral compass points only toward self-preservation will find themselves abandoned when the tide of relevance recedes.
As we watch events unfold in Venezuela and beyond, let every public official take heed: when power departs, only truth remains and it shows no mercy to those who lived for influence instead of impact.
Signed
Otunba (Dr.) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
National President, SpeakUp Collective Nigeria (SCN)
A Platform for Constructive Dialogue & Courageously Sharing Truth with Integrity
📧 info@speakupcollective.ng | 📞 08057660300 @SpeakUpCollectiveNG
SB E-news.
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