Former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose has revealed that he was so angered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s remarks at his 65th birthday celebration that, for a moment, he felt like grabbing the microphone from him and striking him with it.
Fayose made the revelation in a new interview where he narrated the behind-the-scenes events leading up to the controversial birthday gathering in Lagos.
At the event, Obasanjo had revisited their long-standing political feud, saying that while Fayose had achieved a lot, he was “not the best” among his political protégés, a comment Fayose said he found deeply insulting.
Fayose explained that two weeks before his birthday, he made a deliberate decision to reconcile with political figures he had clashed with over the years.
“Whatever differences we’ve had, let’s put them behind us. If I offended you or you offended me, let it go,” he said.
He said he reached out to Obasanjo through a mutual friend, Osita, who gave him the former president’s phone number. Fayose emphasized that the outreach was not an apology.
“I didn’t call Baba to apologise. I did not offend him. He is the one who removed me from office. If anyone should apologise, it’s him,” he insisted.
According to Fayose, Obasanjo later invited him to his home and even promised to attend the birthday celebration, despite having another engagement in Rwanda. At Obasanjo’s request, Fayose said he arranged money for his travel plans.
“I changed $20,000 for him. How can you take someone’s money and then go and disgrace the person?” he asked.
Fayose said he became uneasy when Obasanjo insisted on speaking last instead of the vice-president, who traditionally would close the speeches.
He narrated that Obasanjo directed the moderator to call the vice-president before him, then asked Fayose and his wife to stand beside him throughout a speech that lasted one hour and 14 minutes.
According to Fayose, the speech was filled with subtle jabs and veiled criticisms.
“How do you say such things to a man on his 65th birthday?” he wondered.
Fayose said the turning point came when Obasanjo’s remarks became unbearable.
“I was enraged. I felt like taking the mic from Obasanjo and hitting it on his head,” he said.
But he restrained himself out of respect for the guests present, especially the vice-president.
“To show maturity and for the love I have for myself, I stayed calm.”
Fayose concluded that his efforts to reconcile were genuine, but Obasanjo’s actions showed he was not interested in peace.
“If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting an election? Do I need his validation? No.”
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