Former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, has launched a fierce attack on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing him of irresponsibility and saying he “belongs in the zoo,” after the two traded words over remarks made during Fayose’s 65th birthday celebration in Lagos over the weekend.
The dispute began when Obasanjo, speaking at the event, revisited an old disagreement by mocking a poultry project Fayose initiated during his time as governor.
Though Fayose remained silent during the celebration, he later issued a strongly worded letter responding to the former president’s comments.
In the letter, which has since circulated publicly, Fayose thanked Obasanjo for honouring the invitation but condemned his remarks as “very irresponsible,” claiming the former president had sunk “so low.”
He referenced an earlier description of Obasanjo as someone who ought to be “kept in the zoo,” adding that this was where Obasanjo truly belonged.
The former governor further suggested that Obasanjo’s behaviour reflected a “heightened stage of dementia,” and said he deliberately chose not to react during the event so that “the world would see the difference between a sane and a mad man.”
Fayose also demanded a refund of the money he said he provided to Obasanjo as transport support for attending the party, noting that Obasanjo had publicly acknowledged receiving it.
In a brief response issued through his media aide, Obasanjo said Fayose’s letter simply revealed “who he is,” adding that the former governor had not changed.
He confirmed that he had returned the money, unopened, through the same person who delivered it.
The heated exchange is the latest chapter in the long-running feud between the two political figures, whose relationship has been fraught since the early 2000s when Fayose served as Ekiti governor during Obasanjo’s presidency.
Their disagreements over corruption allegations, governance issues, and national politics have repeatedly led to public confrontations.
Obasanjo, a persistent voice in national affairs since leaving office in 2007, has recently criticised several state-level projects he described as wasteful, remarks that have previously triggered reactions from political actors.
