IDANRE IS NOT A GAME BOARD: A CALL FOR CONSCIENCE, PEACE, AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP.

I issue this statement in deep concern over the recent events in Idanre, which have once again reminded us of the tragic consequences of political violence within our community.

Political power is often approached as strategy, calculated and competitive. However, when political contest becomes a struggle devoid of conscience, ordinary citizens suffer

. When individuals are treated as expendable in the pursuit of position, the system does not merely shift; it inflicts lasting harm on lives and families.

In 2020, I did not witness political violence from a distance , I experienced it personally. I became a victim not because I engaged in wrongdoing, but because in times of political tension, innocent people can become casualties of ambition. The recent incident in Idanre is not an isolated occurrence; it is a warning sign of what happens when power is pursued without responsibility.

We’ve lost too many young lives and cut too many futures short. Now families grieve because politics was allowed to overshadow humanity.

I unequivocally condemn the attacks and the culture of political violence threatening the peace of Idanre. Violence is not leadership. Intimidation is not governance. Bloodshed is never a legitimate strategy for progress.

Leadership is temporary. Public office is not permanent. History consistently reminds us that no position lasts forever. Titles fade and administrations change, but the scars left by reckless ambition remain embedded in communities long after political tenures end. Leaders must remember that while power rotates, the people remain.

It is deeply concerning when public office is treated as a lifetime entitlement. It is even more troubling when young people are drawn into political conflicts as instruments rather than empowered as citizens. Politics should never become a young person’s primary identity or battlefield. Purpose, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship must come first.

While other communities across Ondo State are focused on growth, infrastructure, and economic advancement, Idanre must not be trapped in recurring power struggles. Development cannot thrive where division persists. Unity must not be sacrificed for short-term political advantage.

Loyalty traded for personal political gain weakens the very foundation of our community. When politics becomes transactional and young people are mobilized rather than mentored, development suffers.

To the elders and influential voices who claim not to be politicians yet remain closely aligned with those in power this moment calls for moral courage. It is not enough to distance oneself from political labels while sharing in the access, privilege, and proximity that power provides. When injustice occurs and respected voices remain silent, that silence is not neutrality; it is alignment. Our elders are custodians of conscience in Idanre, and their influence should protect the vulnerable, not shield the powerful. History will not remember who dined with authority. It will remember who spoke when lives were at stake.

I call on the Ondo State Government to conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into the events that have led to the loss of lives in Idanre. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. Beyond investigation, there must be meaningful engagement with the youth , liistening to them, supporting them, and ensuring they are not treated as disposable in political contests.

True leadership is stewardship. It protects lives, strengthens communities, and creates opportunities.

Idanre deserves leadership that recognizes power as a responsibility, not a throne.

Idanre community is not a game board. People are not tools. No young life should ever be sacrificed for political ambition.

Let this moment mark a turning point not another chapter in a cycle of grief.

Bankole Akinselure
Former Vice Chairman Idanre LG.

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