A heated exchange between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose has set off a storm of reactions across Nigeria, reigniting debates about political rivalry, respect for elders, and public discourse.
The feud intensified during Fayose’s birthday celebration, where Obasanjo reportedly criticised the former governor in remarks that Fayose described as “irresponsible.” In a retaliatory SMS, Fayose wrote to Obasanjo: “You are supposed to be kept away in the zoo… I kept quiet at the function so the world would know the difference between a sane and a mad man.”
Obasanjo responded via his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, stating: “Ayo, thanks for your ‘Thank You’ message which undisguisedly revealed who and what you are, unchanged and unchangeable. Your money has been sent back…”
The public reaction has been swift and polarised. Activist Omoyele Sowore called it “two deputy devils jamming each other,” while US-based commentator Ikhide Ikheloa described both men as key actors in “Nigeria’s vast crime scene,” accusing Obasanjo of narcissism and historical wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, social media commentator Ọmọọba Adélẹyẹ Tolu framed Fayose’s insults as a breach of cultural and moral respect, saying the former governor “spat on the throne and the ancestors watching from the rafters.” Others, like Akin Akinwale, argued that Obasanjo could have handled the situation with more tact, suggesting declining the birthday invitation might have been wiser.
The clash has sparked broader discussions on political etiquette, intergenerational respect, and the tendency for personal rivalries to play out in the public eye. Nigerians continue to debate whether the confrontation reflects deeper political tensions or a personal feud amplified by social media.
As the drama unfolds online, it has become clear that the Obasanjo-Fayose spat is more than a personal disagreement; it has turned into a national conversation on decorum, leadership, and the conduct of public figures in Nigeria.
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