Power is a Loan, Not a Possession, Use It to Plant People.
Written by Sir PMC Okeke,founder PMC Okeke FoundationÂ
Power is never truly owned,it is only loaned for a season. Whether it comes through politics, position, influence, or privilege, power has an expiry date. Sadly, many who rise into authority forget this truth. They build monuments to themselves, silence voices around them, and focus more on preserving their grip on power than on empowering others. By the time reality dawns, it is often too late to do what truly matters.
Leadership, in its purest form, is not measured by how long you sit in a seat, but by what you do while you’re there. The greatest misuse of power is to leave people the same or worse than you met them. The highest honour is to uplift others, because one day the spotlight will shift, the position will change hands, and the very people you ignored will determine your place in history.
Across every sphere government, business, religion, or community those who succeed in building people are the ones whose relevance outlives their reign. People are legacy. A bridge you built for someone may carry your name longer than any title you bore. An opportunity you created may become a ladder for generations to climb.
On the other hand, when leaders hoard opportunities, suppress growth, or treat positions as personal empires, the outcome is often tragic. Tenure ends, and isolation begins. Once-celebrated figures are forgotten or pitied not because they never held power, but because they used it only for themselves.
We must remember: applause fades, motorcades disappear, and titles become past tense. What remains is what you planted in others. The man or woman who used their position to mentor, empower, and create platforms for others will always live in the hearts of people long after the office is gone.
So, plant people while your voice still carries weight. Speak for the voiceless. While your table has room, invite others to sit. While your hand still holds the pen, sign opportunities into others’ lives. Because when the pen is no longer yours, those you lifted will become your greatest reference.
After all, power is a loan, not a possession, use it wisely by building people.
