Olusegun Obasanjo vs Ayo Fayose: The Old Feud Rekindles.
Tension has flared once again between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, reopening a political rift that has lingered for nearly two decades. What began as a seemingly cordial appearance at Fayose’s 65th birthday in Lagos has spiraled into a fresh round of allegations, ridicule and bitter personal attacks — the kind of political theater that keeps the nation watching, even when it would rather look away. Obasanjo, taking the microphone at the event, praised Fayose’s accomplishments but made a cutting remark that he was “not the best” of his political protégés. It was the type of comment that hangs in the air long after applause ends and cameras go off. Fayose’s reply did not come from a podium, but through an explosive message that soon leaked into full public view. “Your coming to my birthday, I appreciate — except for your very irresponsible comments at your age,” he wrote, lacing the thank-you note with insults. He accused Obasanjo of losing sanity, described him as someone who “belongs in the zoo,” and dismissed the former president as a figure battling “the heightened stage of dementia.” The former governor also demanded repayment of money he claimed Obasanjo had received from him. Obasanjo’s camp responded swiftly, thanking Fayose for what it called a “thank-you message that revealed who and what you are,” and confirmed that any money mentioned had already been returned. There was no attempt at reconciliation — only a cool, sharp closing of the page. The animosity between both men has been sour, dating back to the dramatic collapse of Fayose’s first term in 2006 and the accusations of federal interference that followed. Hence, in every miscommunication, the hostility resurfaces, like smoke escaping from beneath a sealed door, reminding the public that the conflict never truly dissipated. This latest episode lands at a delicate time for the political class. Both men still command influence and attention. Their feud has been loud, performative, and unapologetic-ally personal, and it may yet cut into party alliances, influence loyalties, or undermine efforts at unity ahead of key political moments on the horizon. Even in a country no stranger to political spectacle, the Obasanjo–Fayose clash is prominent as a story that seems to write itself: two powerful and above all, elderly men, once linked, now trading words like blows; a reminder that in Nigerian politics, history never stays buried for long.
| 2025-11-18 09:23:42