Loose lips sink ships

By Chike Onwe

As the winds of a new political coalition begin to gather strength, they carry with them the usual mix of hope, anxiety, and heightened rhetoric. In moments like this, when the political atmosphere grows thick with uncertainty and ambition, the loudest voices often come not from the political class itself, but from their youthful followers. Fueled by loyalty and raw emotion, many young people take to social media and the streets not to debate, but to dominate — not to persuade, but to provoke. And in their quest to defend one leader or destroy another, they abandon restraint, civility, and even common sense.

This volatile moment has merely exposed a deeper, ongoing problem — one that has long simmered beneath the surface of our political culture. There is a quiet tragedy unfolding — one that wears the face of youthful energy but speaks with the recklessness of unguarded lips and acts with alarming disregard for consequences. Increasingly, we see young men and women sacrificing decency on the altar of political allegiance. They do not just speak poorly; they shout, mock, harass, and in some cases, threaten — all in the name of proving loyalty to politicians who may never know, remember, or defend them.

This behaviour is not mere enthusiasm. It is dangerous — to themselves, to their principals, and to the society whose standards they are eroding. The tone is often caustic. The methods are frequently crude. And the message — if one can be found beneath the noise — is often lost in the aggression used to deliver it.

You cannot promote one by destroying another. Loyalty is not a license for recklessness. True support builds up; it does not tear down. There is no honour in hounding dissenting voices, doxxing critics, or reducing every disagreement to an online battle of insults. There is no strength in screaming over others to prove a point. If your convictions are strong, your arguments should be stronger — not your volume or venom.

And while much is said about free speech, we must remember that speech has a cost — not only in what is said, but in how it is said. Mockery, threats, and coordinated attacks may feel like power in the moment, but they are merely the loud tools of insecurity. Today’s insults do not fade. They linger, they follow, and they often return to bite harder than they were delivered.

Loose lips sink ships. Loose tempers, loose ethics, and loose behaviour do the same. They sabotage not only political aspirations but also reputations, relationships, and futures. When you fight dirty for a leader, you stain their image. When you harass others in their name, you hollow out the very ideals they claim to represent.

This generation is not short on brilliance or passion — but brilliance without restraint is destructive, and passion without principle is dangerous. To those who would defend a cause: defend it with honour. Speak with conviction, not contempt. Disagree without disgrace. And above all, remember that the manner of your support often says more than the cause itself.

There is, thankfully, another path — and many young people are already walking it. In the creative industries, in business, in academia, and even in politics, some have chosen excellence over noise and discipline over disgrace. They are building reputations rooted in merit, not malice; using their voices to inspire, not insult. These individuals prove that it is possible to be passionate without being poisonous, to be loyal without being lawless, and to make an impact without making enemies. Their quiet consistency, not crude commentary, is what earns them respect — and that, in the end, is the kind of relevance that lasts.

In politics, as in life, the loudest voice is not always the wisest. No monument has ever been erected for the one who insults the most; history tends to forget those who shout loudest but add little value. And when the ship begins to sink, it is often the noisiest passengers who are first thrown overboard. In the end, loose lips don’t just sink ships — they sink futures.