Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks at his 65th birthday party angered him so deeply that he felt like grabbing the microphone from the elder statesman and hitting him with it.
Fayose recounted the sequence of events leading up to his recent birthday celebration in an interview. At the Lagos event, Obasanjo made scathing remarks while recalling how Fayose had allegedly wronged him in the past, though the former president said he had forgiven him.
Obasanjo also recalled how Fayose sent emissaries, including former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka, to facilitate a reconciliation. “I told your wife, ‘Madam, you and your husband, you are not Omoluabi.’ She admitted and said, ‘Baba, you are right. Please, forgive us.’ Then, when you get that, what else can I do? So, you have asked for forgiveness and as far as I’m concerned you are forgiven. But the right lessons must be learnt,” Obasanjo said.
While Obasanjo spoke, Fayose maintained his composure. However, barely 48 hours after the party, Fayose sent a ‘Thank You’ text message to Obasanjo, renewing hostility. According to a statement by Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Fayose called Obasanjo unprintable names in the message, which read in part:
“Dear Baba Obasanjo, I trust this meets you well. Your coming to my birthday party, I appreciate, except for your very irresponsible comments at your age. You went so low, but I am not surprised because someone once said you are supposed to be kept away in the zoo. Sincerely, that’s where you belong.”
Fayose said two weeks before the event, he had decided to mend fences with several political adversaries. “Whatever differences we have had in the past, let’s put it behind. If I have offended you, if you have offended me, let us put it behind,” he said. He added that he reached out to Obasanjo through Osita Chidoka, who provided the former president’s phone number.
However, Fayose insisted that his call to Obasanjo was not an apology. “I never called to go and apologise to Baba. I did not offend him. He was the one that removed me from office. If anybody should apologise, it is him,” he said.
According to Fayose, Obasanjo welcomed him to his home days before the celebration and assured him he would attend the event despite another engagement in Rwanda. Fayose arranged funds for Obasanjo’s travel logistics, giving him $20,000. “We took pictures together. All in good faith. How can you accept somebody’s money and come and be spiting that person?” he asked.
The former governor said the first sign of trouble came when Obasanjo insisted on speaking last at the event instead of the vice-president. “Baba said he would be the one to speak last. I became suspicious,” he said. He added that Obasanjo later instructed the moderator to call the vice-president before him, but demanded that Fayose and his wife stand beside him during a speech lasting “one hour, 14 minutes.”
Fayose described the speech as laced with veiled attacks. “How do you say such things to a man on his 65th birthday?” he asked. He said this was the point at which his anger peaked. “I was enraged. I felt like taking the mic from Obasanjo’s hand and hitting it on his head. This is being sincere. But to show maturity, not by age, and the love I have for myself and the presence of the vice-president, I just kept my cool.”
Fayose said his attempt to reconcile with Obasanjo was made “in good conscience,” but the former president’s behaviour proved he was not interested in peace. “If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting the election? Do I need his validation? No,” he concluded.
