By Thomas Taribo
There are two types of loyalty; true loyalty and strategic loyalty.
True loyalty is rare, and unambitious. True loyalty is unsaleable, it stays when all else leaves, because it has no exit clause, and convenience, but strategic loyalty is common because it’s rational, and transactional.
In politics, you need both to win. But when the fight gets real, only true loyalty stays. Howbeit , structurally, transactional loyalty leads to structural collapse. Evidentially , those who hold the structure of 2027, are those who did not scatter in 2023. However, loyalty is never one-sided, although it is not entrenched in keeping scores, it is designed to create reciprocal bonds.
True loyalty, the type demonstrated by Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chida in Rivers State works quietly, protectively, and defensively, without exposing or taking the credit.
Rt. Hon. Chida, understands from the onset that there are certain things that cannot be rushed without breaking them. That is why he can wait till eternity, removing the pressure that leads to the temptation of compromise, acknowledging also that any person who can wait till eternity does not need to lobby for tomorrow, for tomorrow naturally will come to him.
A man of uncommon fidelity, Rt. Hon. Chida builds trust, and keeps to his words, never betraying anyone.
His life of consistency gets him noticed, instead of lobbying, or negotiating, Rt. Hon. Chida choose silence, that type of silence that is strategic and unambitious.
Neither does he switch when the wind changes its direction, waiting for, what will be, to be, without leverage. Little wonder then that the structure remembers him. Indeed, Rt. Hon. OK Chida, matters more than the loudest campaigner.
While most politicians are screaming ahead of the 2027 election, heating up the polity, especially in Rivers States, with posters ablazing, forming camps, and running the race of relevance, one man stands out, chosing a different path, not chasing the microphones, nor cutting deals in the dark, but waiting, watching , and remaining truly loyal.
An unambitious personality, Rt. Hon. OK Chida, never pushes his name into every conversation, or threatens to walk away when he does not get his way.
In a state where loyalty is often transactional, Rt. Hon. Chida’s consistency stands out. His allegiance to the FCT Minister is not new, not seasonal, not convenient. It predates the current offices, the current titles, the current relevance. He has stayed when it was politically risky, and he has stayed when it became politically rewarding. This certainly is the difference between a fair-weather supporter and a proven ally.
A man of unbroken reputation, Rt. Hon. Chida walks with an unblemish, and unrivaled currency in Rivers’ State politics, “OK Chida has never betrayed anyone since he was born.”
This currency becomes even more unequal considering the fact that historically, betrayal in the politics of Rivers State is the default story. Alliances shift with every cabinet reshuffle, turning yesterday’s foot soldiers into today’s critics.
Around Chief Wike’s camp, among old Port Harcourt political hands, and even within the oppositions and traducers, the overwhelming consensus of opinion is the same; Rt. Hon. Chida keeps his word, without any leak, or double-dealing. In a system built on distrust, this kind of reputation is leverage in itself.
As we climax into Rivers 2027, the battle cannot be won by the loudest voice or the heaviest spender alone. It will be won by trust. Trust between leaders and their base. Trust between allies who have been tested.
The FCT Minister’s political structure in Rivers is built on people who have proven they will not scatter at the first sign of pressure. In that structure, loyalty is currency, and Rt. Hon. OK Chida has paid in full, over years, without demanding interest.
He may not be on every billboard. He may not be in every WhatsApp group making noise about 2027. But in the rooms where decisions are made, proven loyalty speaks louder than ambition.
There is a lesson here for Rivers politics. Not everyone has to be in a hurry. Not everyone has to force their way into relevance. Sometimes, the most strategic move is to be known as the one person who refused to break rank.
For Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chida, that reputation is already speaking. And in 2027, when the dust settles and the real structure matters more than the noise, that voice will be heard.
Rivers has had enough of fair-weather politicians. What it needs now are men who stay when it is inconvenient, and Rt. Hon. OK Chida is one of them.
Taribo is a public affairs analyst writing from Port Harcourt.