02/11/2025
POWER OF LOYALTY
Loyalty is the quality or state of being faithful and devoted to someone or something. In a similar vein, it could also mean a deep devotion to an individual, business, or nation. It’s a strong and long-lasting support for someone or something. Loyalty exists in all living things, which is not limited to human beings. This can be seen in a dog that is loyal to its owner. If humans were as loyal as dogs, the world would be a far better place.
I had a dog called Queen. The dog was very sick and could not walk, irrespective of its weak limbs. Queen walked gradually to mount the gate at night, and returned to the back of its cage as she was down with pavovirus. This is almost nullity amongst the human folds.
Loyalty is one of the major climbers to generational success, as explicitly shown in the bible. We all know the great loyalty of Jonathan Saul to David Jesse. Jonathan ought to be the heir apparent as the son of King Saul, but for loyalty, he preferred David for the Job. Though he could not see David enthroned and reigning as King, his good gesture stood. In the story, David showed kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, the cripple, by ensuring all the estates, properties, and servants of King Saul were returned to him, and ensured, he dined at his table till death. This is the power of loyalty and a generational one at that.
The power of loyalty is germane and is always at work to give full recompense to all her practitioners. I want to drive home my perspective on this discourse with the Impeachment Saga of the First Executive Governor of Bayelsa State. On December 9, 2005, DSP Alamieyeseigha was impeached as the Governor of Bayelsa State by most members of the assembly he had handpicked. I surveyed the list of the seventeen (17) members of the Bayelsa State Assembly who signed the impeachment, except one, and all have been forgotten and gone extinct in the political equation of the state. The exceptional one is doing well in business, but is always bruised and drowned in politics. On the contrary, the seven (7) that declined signing, and clung on to the power of loyalty, are doing quite well politically and are very crucial in the political equation of the State. One is a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, and another is the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government. Scrutinizing the names, the ones that held to the power of Loyalty are far ahead of those that embraced disloyalty.
History keeps reenacting that loyalty is an energizer of greatness and a lasting one at that. Before stepping into any turf, ask yourself, Can I be loyal? If you cannot, then do not patronize the act of disloyalty, as the repercussions could resonate to generations unborn. Have a beautiful week.
Prof. Eni-Yimini S. Agoro
