It is well-known political truism that in every developed political democracy, there exist four estates of the Realm. These are the Executive branch of government, the Parliament (legislative branch), the Judiciary and the Press. Each of these institutions plays a vital role so that the wheel of democracy does not grind to a halt.

Unfortunately, there has gradually been entrenched in our developing political culture the fifth realm. And that is sycophancy. Properly put, in a nut shell, sycophancy is an act, practice or behaviour of a sycophant. And a sycophant therefore means one who attempts to win favour to advance oneself by flattering persons of influence. Such a person is first and foremost a servile self seeker. In practice, a sycophant denotes a flatterer, who lavishes praises, salutation or attention on others, particularly those in authority. Today, a sycophant could be referred to as parasite of the rich or powerful and stresses self-seeking motives, covertly or overtly.

Sycophants as they exist in our society today have adopted all manners of approaches to advance their activities. They form bogus organizations in other to gain wider recognition and legitimacy, using titles such as concerned citizens, concerned groups, progressive elements, protectors of democracy, defendant of true democracy etc.

Once a new group of political leaders have been elected, these sycophants flood electronic airwave and pages of newspapers with praise singing adverts and jingles. They fabricate all sorts of titles and accolades such as high Chief, Alhaji, and Professors, when they know actually that such a person does not even appreciate such titles. Without the consent of the beneficiary, they sponsor well written advertorials in form of congratulatory and goodwill messages.

Recently, active sycophants have added new dimensions. They constitute themselves into lobbying groups. They use all sorts of strategies such as sponsoring and underwriting expenditures for thanksgiving services, solidarity rallies and payment of presidential suit in big hotels in order to advance the course of their activities.

Sycophants could be found within different groups in our society. But the most active ones could be found among minister, governors, special advisers, commissioners. During the last dispensation, the ex-president Chief Obasanjo has a good number of sycophants around him. Nobody but nobody could last longer than fewer months in his regime without manifesting some sycophantic behaviour.

Of course, when sycophants found themselves among other sycophants within the same circle, they become more sycophantic, trying to undo the other. Their greeting to their bosses, political leaders are often superfluous. Even among the 36 immediate past governors in the last dispensation, there were some sycophants among them.

Sycophant can cry, laugh, jest, kneel down, cajole, mimic prostrate. They apply all sorts of behaviours if only to win the favour of their masters (“oga”). At the end of every regime, they change their tactics or regroup in order to win favour of the new administration.

Politically, sycophancy has assumed prominence in Nigerian political system. It has become a force to reckon with. It is causing a lot of economic and social harm to the society because sycophants represent facts, they mutilate information, they give wrong advice and by so doing, they mislead the victims. It has indeed become the bane of Nigerian political system which is indirectly affecting us here. This sycophancy must be fought along with other political ills of our society