A FRIEND IN POWER
......by Dr Philip Ugbodaga (CFRN)
Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

”A Friend in Power is a Friend Lost” ...Henry Adams

Henry Adams who lived from 1834 to 1918 is reported to have made the remark above.
In the evolution of the human race, a friend who acquires a new status especially a political position suddenly acquires a new circle of friends commensurate with his new status and position. Consequently, he discountenances your age-long friendship, disavow all the positive things you have shared and the allure of power becomes too great for him to ignore. Some now feel pity for you and at times resentment and even revulsion. Your calls now irritate them as not only will they not pick up your call but will not return it at anytime later. When they ever pick your call, they are in a hurry to “discharge” you.
Some people in power usually pretend to be very busy and if you attempt to visit them at home, they give you plethora and avalanche of reasons why you are unlikely to meet them at home and when you eventually do, you will be lucky to have up to a few minutes in audience with them. For them, every call or visit is an attempt to seek a favour.
They now look upon you as belonging to a lower social circle they once belonged to. They are the same people who once claimed to be “talakawas” and defenders of the rights of the poor and disenfranchised in society but when they get the power to enfranchise you, they dither.

They are now obligated to maintain a professional, social and financial distance. For them, relationships are best between persons of equal status.

It is far worse if the friend has been promoted at work to a position where he now calls you a subordinate and you have to call him boss. He is now your “leader”, the “chair” and an “oga”. You must accord him all the courtesy of the new overlord in town otherwise you are deemed “disloyal”. Disloyalty in Nigerian politics can lead to loss of patronage and you can be sentenced to political oblivion.

Power corrupts and absolutely power corrupts absolutely for those who posses it and use it without recourse to good conscience.

Those who jubilate and organize parties for their friends who get political power are sometimes deceived by the illusion that power in the hands of friends is an advantage to them. It can be an invariable disaster to have some friends in power as power could really be a poison. For such friends, it is advisable to wait until they return to their original personae so you can pick up your “friendship” from where it got paused.

On the other side are true friends who get into new positions of responsibilities and keep the bond of friendship even stronger. They look out for you. They have your best interest at heart. They take out some time to check on you through calls, text messages and other means even when the call of duty is daunting. They may not give you money. They do not have to. It’s usually not about money but about love and conviviality towards someone you have shared remarkable moments with in the past. These categories of friends are worth celebrating and immortalizing.
May God bless us with TRUE FRIENDS.

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Thanks bro you just nailed it