At the inaugural Followership Conference held on Thursday, March 27, 2025, former Senator Babafemi Ojudu has warned citizens against confusing blind loyalty with true patriotism.
Ojudu, a veteran journalist and former Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, called for a national reorientation in how Nigerians engage with governance, urging active, principle-driven followership rather than sycophantic allegiance.
In a candid reflection on his political journey, Ojudu revealed the extreme lengths he had to go to secure electoral success. He lamented that instead of engaging in meaningful discussions on governance, he had to pay people to attend meetings, feed them, and offer them souvenirs just to gain their support.
“Across the globe, the obsession has always been with leadership. But who is studying followership? Why do we assume that the fate of nations rests solely in the hands of leaders, when in reality, a society often reflects the quality of its followership?” he questioned.
Drawing a sharp distinction between responsible followership and what he termed “followersheep”, Ojudu explained how blind allegiance has undermined Nigeria’s democracy.
“Followership is active, thoughtful, and engaged. It demands accountability, asks questions, and prizes principle over personality,” he stated. “Followersheep, by contrast, is passive, blind, sycophantic. It clings to individuals rather than ideas. One builds nations. The other erodes them, quietly, steadily, and often with a smile.”
Ojudu shared personal experiences from his time as a journalist and politician, highlighting the hostility often faced by those who challenge the status quo.
“I wrote stories to hold leaders accountable, and I was met not just with resistance from those in power, but with hostility from ordinary citizens who felt I had ‘insulted their leader,’” he recalled.
He pointed to a recent example where an open letter he wrote to a former Kaduna State governor, advocating political reform, was initially well-received—only for him to face backlash days later after criticizing the President’s suspension of democratic structures in Rivers State.
“The message was clear: ‘We want truth, but only when it serves our tribe.’ Truth became offensive. Facts were dismissed as bias. Sycophancy was mistaken for loyalty.”
Reflecting on how Nigeria’s political culture has shifted from ideological engagement to transactional politics, Ojudu shared a telling contrast between past and present political participation.
“In 1996, my grandmother, before her death at 97, gave me receipts of her contributions to Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group. She didn’t expect contracts or favours; she contributed out of principle,” he said.
But today, political engagement often means constant financial obligations for politicians.
“I had to pay people to attend meetings, feed them, give them souvenirs. After winning, the demands only grew: sponsoring weddings and burials, roofing houses, paying hospital bills. I had become, to them, an ATM.”
Even in the Senate, he noted, standing against corruption often meant standing alone. “They wanted silence, not substance.”
As a former presidential adviser, Ojudu recounted how truth-telling in government circles is often discouraged.
“Truth-telling earned labels: ‘disloyal,’ ‘too bold,’ ‘not a team player.’ These accusations didn’t always come from leaders, but from fellow followers who had traded their conscience for access.”
Quoting the renowned writer James Baldwin, he warned:
“Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.”
Then, adding his own twist, he said:
“But when ignorance is paired with loyalty, it becomes even more dangerous.”
Ojudu urged Nigerians to embrace a new kind of followership—one grounded in critical thinking, civic responsibility, and national interest.
“The follower who thinks, questions, and holds power accountable is the most powerful force in a democracy,” he asserted. “Are you a follower or a followersheep? Are you thinking, or just cheering? Are you defending people or defending principles?”
On a personal note, Ojudu revealed that the conference coincided with his 64th birthday. As part of his commitment to fostering a culture of responsible followership, he announced plans to establish an Institute of Followership in Ekiti State to promote civic education and national consciousness.
“That, to me, would be a far greater legacy than holding office. It would be a gift to our democracy—and perhaps, the most meaningful birthday gift I could give myself.”
