In the ever-turbulent waters of Nigerian politics, disagreements, betrayals, and shifting loyalties are nothing new. Yet some feuds stand out, not just for their personal weight but for the ripple effects they have on the broader political landscape. The strained relationship between Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his erstwhile political boss is one such case.

The recent attempts to label Rauf Aregbesola as a betrayer have sparked heated conversations within political circles and on the streets. But let’s be honest, should betrayal even be shocking in politics anymore?

In a game where loyalty is often a function of interest, and where alliances shift with the tides of ambition, pointing fingers at Aregbe as the ultimate sinner is not just hypocritical. it’s historically blind.

Let’s set the record straight: betrayal is as old as politics itself. From the federal to local level, no politician rises purely on loyalty. Interests evolve, power dynamics change, and in the race to stay relevant or climb higher, compromises are made and allies are dropped.

Even Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the political giant many look up to today, didn’t get to the top without stepping on a few toes, breaking old ties, and making new ones. That’s not condemnation, it’s just the nature of the game.

Take away the noise and personal sentiments, and what you’ll find is this truth: as much as Aregbesola may need Tinubu to stay politically relevant, Tinubu also needs Aregbesola to maintain grassroots control and party structure.

The attempt to make one look dispensable while elevating the other is both dangerous and dishonest. When strong men fight and loyalists take sides blindly, the system suffers, and the people are the real losers.

Let’s shift focus from political gladiators for a moment and ask the real question:

Haven’t we, the people, been betrayed the most?

Each election season, we are promised roads, reforms, and renewed hope. And each time, we are handed recycled excuses, inflated budgets, and empty gestures. The real betrayal isn’t Aregbe turning his back on Tinubu, or vice versa. It’s the system turning its back on the people.

While we waste time debating who betrayed who, our hospitals remain broken, education is underfunded, and young people are fleeing the country in droves.

It’s time to stop playing saints and villains. Politics is not a church service. Everyone has a past, and every political figure has done what they had to do to survive. The only thing that matters now is whether they are willing to reconcile, rebuild, and redirect their influence toward something meaningful.

So yes, Aregbe may have stepped out of line—but so has everyone else. The question is: will they let ego destroy what they built together?

And to those stoking the fire for personal gain, remember: when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.