By Rayyanu Bala

Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remark at the one-year remembrance of Late former President Muhammadu Buhari struck a chord because it speaks to a timeless truth about power and human relationships.
“When you’re in power, your friends know you. When you’re out of power, you know your friends.”
The Vice President Shettima’s statement above is simple, yet it carries a profound meaning. Power has a way of attracting people. The moment someone occupies a position of influence, he suddenly becomes the center of attention. Calls come more frequently, invitations and visitations increase, and people who once kept their distance suddenly become close associates. But the real irony and the true test begins when the office is gone, the influence fades, life takes an unexpected turn. That is when genuine friends remain, while those who were only interested in power quietly disappear.
True friendship has never been tested by how many people surround you during moments of success but by who stands beside you when there is nothing to gain. Loyalty, not material benefit, is the foundation of lasting relationships.
It is against this backdrop that Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, the APC governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, stands out from many of his contemporaries. Those who have followed his journey point to one remarkable quality: his unwavering loyalty to the people who have been part of his life for decades. Many of his friends from nearly fifty years ago are still part of his inner circle today. Wherever you see him, you are likely to find many of those familiar faces around him. Their bond has endured changing seasons, different stages of life, and the highs and lows that naturally come with time.
In an era where relationships are sometimes built around influence, political relevance, or personal gain, such consistency is refreshing. It demonstrates that genuine friendship is not about shared opportunities but about shared values, trust, and mutual commitment over many years.
The important lesson is this: while there is nothing wrong with making new friends and building new relationships, there is something admirable about remaining faithful to those who stood with you before success arrived. Indeed, loyalty should never become a casualty of achievement, as is too often the case today. For many people, the moment they attain success, their loyal friends of many decades become the first casualties.
If more people embraced this principle, our society would place greater value on character and enduring relationships rather than emergency friendships and temporary alliances.
The Vice President’s words remind us that power comes and goes, but true friends remain. Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu’s enduring loyalty to his long-time friends offers an example worth reflecting on. In a world where many relationships are defined by circumstances, his commitment to lasting friendships is a principle that deserves to be emulated.