*ÒKÈÒGÙN AT THE CROSSROADS: THE FOLLY OF SELFISH POLITICS*

*Favour Adéwọyin*

November 10, 2025. 

> “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” — Psalm 122:6 (KJV)

*Standfirst:*

The peace and prosperity of any land depend on the loyalty of her sons and daughters. When ambition overshadows patriotism, the soul of a people suffers. When the love of one’s homeland is traded for the greed of personal ambition, the development of a region stagnates. Òkèògùn stands today at the brink of greatness — yet some are willing to sell her destiny for political crumbs.

*The Sacred Call Of Patriotism:*

The call to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is more than a religious injunction; it is a divine mandate to love, protect, and advance one’s homeland. It is a call to devotion over division, to sacrifice over selfishness.

To love one’s town is to seek her progress above personal gain. It is to make her peace your priority and her prosperity your purpose. That sacred call now confronts the sons and daughters of Òkèògùn — a region long endowed with honour, intellect, and integrity, yet often denied her rightful place in the political leadership of Ọ̀yọ́ State.

*The Dream And The Distractions:* 

The quest for the governorship of Ọ̀yọ́ State is not a mere ambition; it is Òkèògùn’s historical mandate — a collective pursuit born out of decades of loyalty, balance, and fairness. But at this defining hour, some have chosen a lesser path.

Rather than strengthen the movement for the governorship, a few are scrambling for positions far beneath the destiny of the land — Deputy Governor, Party Chairman, ministerial seats, or agency appointments. These positions, though seemingly prestigious, are but distractions from the greater vision.

> “Anyone who abandons the governorship dream for a smaller office has not chosen wisdom — he has chosen weakness.”

To negotiate for crumbs while the banquet of destiny awaits is a betrayal of purpose. Òkèògùn deserves the leadership seat, not the leftovers of political compromise.

*The Poison Of Self-Interest:*

It is the height of tragedy when personal ambition blinds men to the moral demands of loyalty. The pursuit of individual comfort at the expense of communal destiny is political treachery dressed as pragmatism.

History bears witness to the struggles and sacrifices of our forebears — men and women who laboured through hardship to prove Òkèògùn’s readiness for leadership. They built bridges of trust, credibility, and unity across divides, demonstrating that integrity and perseverance could overcome years of marginalisation. Their courage was not merely for themselves but for generations unborn, laying a moral foundation upon which our collective aspiration was meant to stand.

Among them, history will also remember the betrayers of old — those who, for selfish gain, traded the destiny of a people for fleeting rewards. Their names are written, not in honour, but in warning. Sadly, that same shadow now looms again over our land.

Today, history threatens to repeat itself. While some among us bear the burden of advocacy and commitment — carrying the weight of Òkèògùn’s aspiration with faith and fortitude — others are busy pulling it down. While some demand what rightfully belongs to our region to move us forward, others are selling our collective inheritance for crumbs of political convenience. In their quest for momentary relevance, they desecrate the sacrifices of our heroes past and trample upon the hope of our future.

The soul of Òkèògùn now stands at a moral crossroads. Will we honour the labour of our ancestors or betray it once more? The choice before us is not just political — it is historical, ethical, and generational. Those who stand for truth must not falter, for history will again record who stood firm when it mattered most.

Nations and regions rise only when their people love their land more than they love themselves. Òkèògùn’s future will not be built by beggars of favour, but by builders of faith and vision.

*The Divine Law Of Loyalty:*

The Scripture declares: “They shall prosper that love thee.” It is a timeless law that prosperity always follows patriotism. Those who genuinely love their homeland reap the blessings of collective peace. But those who betray her for selfish elevation are destined for decline.

> “Power without principle is a curse; promotion without purpose is punishment.”

History remembers men not for the offices they held, but for the causes they upheld. Those who betray their people may rise for a moment, but they fall into the pit of irrelevance as quickly as they ascend.

*Òkèògùn's Moment Of Truth:*

This is Òkèògùn’s defining season — a moment to stand united or to scatter the seeds of her own greatness. The real enemies of progress are not outside her borders; they are the ones who weaken her resolve from within, trading unity for personal gain.

Let the truth be told without fear: accepting anything less than the governorship is not negotiation — it is capitulation. It is to bow where we should rise, to beg where we should lead.

> “The destiny of a people cannot be built on the weakness of divided hearts.”

No region prospers when its sons fight for tokens instead of titles. This is the time for unity, not rivalry; for vision, not vanity.

*The Consequences Of Betrayal:*

Every act of betrayal carries a price. Those who trade their people’s future for political relevance may enjoy temporary comfort, but history will strip them of honour. When you betray your people, you lose their trust. And when you lose their trust, you lose your name.

The Deputy Governorship will fade. The Party Chairmanship will expire. The ministerial appointment will end. But the stain of betrayal endures long after the office is gone.

> “Positions fade, but principles endure. Titles expire, but truth remains.”

Let no one be deceived: the judgment of posterity is far harsher than that of politics. History does not forget those who sold their people’s birthright for bowls of comfort.

*A Call To Conscience And Unity:*

Now is the moment for every true son and daughter of Òkèògùn to choose conscience over convenience. The governorship is not just a political aspiration; it is a moral obligation to restore balance, dignity, and representation.

Let us silence envy and reject division. Let us unite across parties, clans, and interests with a single resolve — that Òkèògùn shall not continue to play second fiddle in the politics of Oyo State.

Let us love Òkèògùn as Jerusalem was loved — fiercely, faithfully, and prayerfully. Let us seek her peace and pursue her prosperity. For only then shall we prosper together.

> “Those who love Òkèògùn shall rise with her; those who betray her shall fall with their greed.”

*The Final Word:*

This is not just politics; this is destiny. The future is watching. The ancestors are listening. And God is weighing hearts.

The Scripture says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” If Òkèògùn must prosper, her sons must love her — not in words, but in loyalty; not in speeches, but in sacrifice.

Let every heart that bears the name Òkèògùn rise with conviction: the governorship or nothing less.

For when Òkèògùn prospers, her people will flourish, and her name will shine like a lamp in the history of Ọ̀yọ̀ State — a testimony that unity, courage, and love for one’s homeland are still the truest forms of leadership.

*Pst. Favour Adéwọyin,*

National Secretary, Ẹgbẹ́ Àjọṣepọ̀ Fún Ìtẹsiwájú Gbogbo Wa.