Power is toxic. It corrupts even the most decent of individuals, turning them into something they never were before. Those who cannot handle its weight with discipline and self-restraint inevitably fall prey to its degenerating effects.
The moment people rise to power, their personalities often shift. They become haughty, arrogant, and unapproachable. The humility they once exhibited is replaced by a sense of entitlement. They begin to speak, act, and carry themselves as if the world must now bow to them. Positions of leadership, which ought to be used for public service, become tools for inflating their egos and dominating others. It is no longer about the mandate of the people—it becomes about their image, their name, their control.
This is especially rampant in the realm of politics. Politicians, once voted into office, are frequently overtaken by greed, pride, and the craving for absolute control. They accumulate wealth shamelessly. They abuse power for personal gain. Their decisions are no longer guided by conscience or principle, but by influence, political debt, and the desire to stay in power at all costs. Laws and rules are bent, institutions are manipulated, and the truth is suppressed. Their words may still echo the language of public service, but their actions betray a thirst for dominion.
One of the most tragic consequences of this intoxication is the loss of integrity. Those who once lived modestly and spoke truthfully are now surrounded by sycophants, drunk with authority, and insulated from criticism. They lose their grip on reality. They become blind to the damage they inflict, deaf to the cries of the poor, and numb to the burdens of the people. This is how tyrants are made—not through ideology, but through unguarded pride and unchecked ambition. The good is slowly poisoned until nothing remains but a caricature of virtue.
Systems of accountability must be strengthened, and those in power must be made to answer regularly and honestly to the public. But beyond systems and laws, it is character that must be cultivated long before power is attained. Only men and women with moral spine, spiritual grounding, and an incorruptible sense of duty can withstand the temptations that power brings. Anything less will not do.
