The violent clashes that erupted across Osun State, culminating in the brutal killing of former Irewole Local Government chairman, Mr. Aderemi Abbas, and six others, are a tragic reminder of how far political actors are willing to go in their selfish quest for power.
Rather than upholding the core principles of democracy—dialogue, rule of law, and the welfare of the people—politicians and their supporters have turned the state into a battlefield, where violence, bloodshed, and destruction reign supreme.
A Democracy Betrayed by Power-Hungry Politicians
The crisis was ignited by a contentious Court of Appeal ruling that allegedly reinstated APC-elected local government chairmen and councillors.
However, rather than allowing legal processes and due democratic mechanisms to take their course, both the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chose the path of violence, using their supporters as foot soldiers in a war that is neither about justice nor public service—but about personal ambition and control.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, sounded the alarm on Sunday, accusing the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and security agencies of conspiring to enforce the court ruling by force.
By Monday, the streets were soaked in blood as rival party members engaged in violent confrontations across several local government secretariats.
Not About the People, But About Power
The brutal murder of Abbas, the bloodshed in Boripe, Isokan, Olaoluwa, and other local governments expose a sad truth: Nigerian politicians do not fight for the people; they fight for themselves.
These violent clashes are not about improving governance, providing essential services, or addressing the needs of the electorate—they are about who controls the levers of power.
If these politicians truly cared about democracy, they would resolve disputes through legal and peaceful means, not through the barrels of guns and the sharp edges of machetes. Instead, innocent lives have been lost, families have been thrown into mourning, and communities are living in fear; all because of the selfish interests of political actors who see governance as a means to enrich themselves rather than serve the people.
A Call for Accountability and Justice
The bloodshed in Osun State must not be swept under the rug. The political elites who fuel these conflicts must be held accountable.
Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive in an environment where elections and judicial rulings translate into violence, where political disagreements are settled with bullets rather than ballots.
The Nigerian people must also wake up to the reality that these politicians, regardless of party affiliation, do not have their best interests at heart.
It is time to demand leaders who prioritize service over power, governance over greed, and democracy over dictatorship.
Until then, the cycle of violence will continue, and democracy will remain a mere illusion in a country where political ambition is more valuable than human life.
