The Emerging Leaders in Politics ( ELIP) writes with a deep sense of moral concern about the growing culture of disrespect for elders, clergy, and moral voices in Kwara State. A trend that threatens not only our political environment but also the spiritual and cultural values that once defined us as a people. Kwara which is popularly known for its tolerance, respect, and religious harmony, is gradually being dragged into a dangerous pit where youth are being introduced into a culture of arrogance and open defiance against authority figures, particularly clerics who speak truth to power.
It is no longer news that a syndicate of government-sponsored social media operatives, infamously known as “Data Boys,” has been introduced into Kwara politics by the media handlers of the present administration. These groups, armed with smartphones and stipends, have become tools of propaganda and character assassination. Their daily assignment is not to promote truth or development but to attack anyone, especially respected elders, clerics, and social commentators who dare to offer honest advice or constructive criticism to those in power. What was once described as a youth empowerment initiative has now turned into a coordinated online cult, where lies are spread, reputations are tarnished, and moral voices are mocked for daring to speak.
Our collective conscience was shaken recently when these so-called Data Boys launched coordinated verbal assaults on a highly revered Archbishop, whose only “sin” was to advise the Kwara State Government to show more compassion to pensioners, fix decaying infrastructure, and address the insecurity that continues to plague Kwara South. The Archbishop spoke the truth in love, yet rather than reflect, the government’s media handlers unleashed waves of abuse and insults through their paid online warriors. To watch our youths insult an elder of such moral standing is both heartbreaking and shameful.
It is sad that the same government that preaches moral renewal and claims to uphold the values of respect and civility has allowed this digital mob culture to flourish unchecked. No society can progress when its youths are trained to despise correction and vilify men of conscience. Those who encourage this moral decay are destroying the moral future of the state.
We therefore call on Christian leaders, parents, and guardians across all denominations - Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal, Evangelical, and indigenous churches to rise in one voice and condemn this dangerous trend. Silence is no longer an option when our sons and daughters are being groomed into a lifestyle of public insult and rebellion against moral authority. The Church must teach again that true loyalty to leadership does not mean blind defence of wrongdoing. Parents must remind their children that disrespecting elders or mocking preachers brings no blessing but a curse upon one’s path.
We equally call on the Kwara State Government to disband this “Data Boys” network and redirect the energy and resources being wasted on online propaganda into meaningful digital skills programs, innovation hubs, and entrepreneurial training that will truly empower young people. Let social media be a tool for creativity and education, not a weapon of defamation and hate. A government that fears criticism will never grow, and the effects are showing in today’s Kwara State.
To the respected Archbishop and every man and woman of God who dares to speak truth in these trying times, we say: do not be silenced. Your courage represents the voice of God and the conscience of society. History has always vindicated those who stood for truth even when it was inconvenient. The mockers of today will one day search for your words when truth begins to speak louder than power.
The Kwara we envision is one where truth is not silenced, where leaders are humble enough to listen, and where youths are known for creativity and honour, not insult and propaganda.
Olamilekan IleriOluwa,
Convener, Emerging Leaders in Politics (ELIP), Kwara State Chapter.
For the Defence of Truth, Morality, and Godly Leadership in Kwara State
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