Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and President Bola Tinubu. Credit: Olalekan Badmus/X.
A real estate businessman, Pelumi Farohun, has called on youths in Osun State to embrace a new political culture driven by personal development, tolerance, constructive engagement and a genuine commitment to the progress of the state.
Farohun, in a statement made available to the correspondent on Wednesday in Lagos, said recent political developments in Osun State, including the appointment of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign, should encourage young people to rethink their approach to political differences.
According to him, the development underscored the dynamic nature of politics and the need for supporters to understand that political disagreements should not become permanent personal conflicts.
“Politics is a game of interests, ideas and changing circumstances. What we see today reminds us that political alignments can change, and people who once stood on different sides may find common ground tomorrow.
“Young people must learn from this and stop treating political opponents as personal enemies,” he said.
Farohun expressed concern that many young people in Osun expended considerable energy defending political leaders, attacking opponents on social media and engaging in unnecessary arguments, while paying insufficient attention to their education, businesses, professional careers and economic advancement.
He maintained that political participation should complement personal development rather than become a substitute for it.
“Young people must become useful to themselves, their families and society. We cannot continue to make our survival dependent on politicians, campaign appointments or the outcome of elections. We must acquire skills, build businesses, pursue education and develop the capacity to stand on our own.
“Politics is important, but it should not be the only route through which a young person hopes to succeed in life,” he added.
The businessman also cautioned against allowing political differences to destroy friendships, family, relationships and professional networks, stressing that belonging to different political parties should not prevent people from associating peacefully or working together for the common good.
He acknowledged that political sensitivity often increases during election periods, when public gatherings and associations may attract different interpretations.
However, he urged political supporters to exercise discretion without allowing suspicion to become a permanent feature of their relationships.
“During election periods, people should be mindful of how their actions and public appearances may be interpreted. But after elections, we must understand that life continues.
“We still have businesses to run, families to care for, friendships to maintain and communities to develop.
“You cannot make everyone who disagrees with you politically your enemy. We must learn to disagree without hatred and compete without bitterness,” Farohun said.
He further condemned political thuggery, vote buying and the growing tendency among political supporters to engage in insults and unsubstantiated allegations on social media.
According to him, such practices undermine democratic values and divert public attention from the critical issues confronting the state, including unemployment, education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and economic development.
Farohun maintained that young people should not allow themselves to be used as instruments of political violence, noting that the consequences of such actions often fall more heavily on the youths involved than on the political figures they seek to protect.
“No political ambition is worth the life of a young person. Our energy should be directed towards productive ventures, community development and constructive participation in governance, not violence or endless online battles,” he said.
He urged the youth to place personal growth and the collective interest of Osun above partisan hostility.
“Osun State is bigger than any political party or individual politician. We need young people who are intellectually prepared, economically productive, socially responsible and committed to the development of our state.
“Our generation must not sacrifice its future on the altar of political ambition. We must become useful to ourselves, our families, our communities and Osun State. That is the kind of political culture we should be building,” he said.