Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State and a prominent voice in Nigeria’s political landscape, lit up social media this week after sharing a searing critique of sycophancy in government. On Friday, he posted an article by writer O.A. Ayinde to his official X account and the message was loud and clear.
The article argued that the current government is resistant to truth, allergic to criticism, and surrounded by flatterers who are more interested in pleasing power than speaking truth. It warned of the dangers of a political environment where honesty is punished and only praise is welcome. Ayinde didn’t name names, but the implications were hard to miss.
“No position is permanent,” the article read, a pointed reminder that power, no matter how secure it seems, always changes hands.
El-Rufai didn’t add much commentary to the post, but he didn’t need to. The timing, the tone, and the content all sparked speculation. Was he taking aim at the Tinubu administration? Was he distancing himself from a government he once supported? Or was he simply reminding the public of the values he still holds?
Whatever his intentions, the reaction was immediate. Some hailed him as brave for calling out the rot within. Others accused him of political posturing. But everyone agreed on one thing. The culture of sycophancy in Nigerian politics is real, and it’s dangerous.
In a political climate where silence is often rewarded and criticism is punished, El-Rufai’s post reopened an uncomfortable but necessary conversation. And in doing so, he may have reignited a part of the public that still believes honesty has a place in governance.
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