Rauf Aregbesola’s story is still unravelling, argues TEMITOPE LAKISOKUN
Loyalty in Nigerian politics is a currency that fluctuates wildly in value. Today’s ally is tomorrow’s adversary, and yesterday’s hero is today’s villain. Few contemporary stories reflect this volatility more than that of Rauf Aregbesola, the former governor of Osun, whose dramatic shift from being one of President Bola Tinubu’s most trusted lieutenants to an opposition figure has reignited debates about betrayal, legacy, and the wilful distortion of political history.
The parallels between Aregbesola’s current predicament and the infamous rift between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola are striking. Some say this comparison is a bit of an overreach, but I beg to differ. Both sagas revolve around broken alliances, accusations of treachery, and the bitter fallout of power struggles. Yet, as time has shown, history’s first draft is often written by the victors, only for later generations to revisit it with clearer eyes (and sometimes, raised eyebrows).