Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has disclosed that he gave ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo $20,000 as transportation support to attend his 65th birthday celebration in Lagos, only for the former leader to deliver a speech he described as “provocative” and “humiliating.”
Fayose made the revelation in a recent interview in which he recounted the behind-the-scenes events leading to the controversial remarks Obasanjo delivered at the ceremony.
The former president had used his speech to revisit his long-running political feud with Fayose, describing him as “not the best” of his protégés, even while acknowledging his political resilience.
According to Fayose, the entire chain of events began two weeks before the celebration, when he decided to reconcile with several political associates he had fallen out with.
He said he reached out to Obasanjo through a mutual friend, Osita, who supplied the former president’s phone number.
“Whatever differences we have had in the past, let’s put it behind us,” he said. “If I have offended you, if you have offended me, let us put it behind.”
He stressed, however, that the call 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.”
Fayose said Obasanjo welcomed him to his home before the ceremony and assured him he would attend despite having another engagement in Rwanda. It was during this visit, he claimed, that the ex-president requested financial support for his travel logistics.
“I changed $20,000 and gave it to him,” Fayose said. “We took pictures together. All in good faith. How can you accept somebody’s money and come and be spiting that person?”
He said he began to sense trouble when Obasanjo insisted on speaking last at the birthday event rather than allowing the vice-president who was also present to give the closing remarks.
“Baba said he would be the one to speak last. I became suspicious,” he said.
According to him, Obasanjo later instructed the moderator to call the vice-president before him, then demanded that Fayose and his wife stand beside him as he delivered a speech that lasted “one hour, 14 minutes,” during which the former president made what Fayose described as veiled jabs.
“How do you say such things to a man on his 65th birthday?” he asked.
Fayose admitted that at the height of his anger, he felt an urge to snatch the microphone from Obasanjo and “hit it on his head,” but restrained himself out of respect for the vice-president and in the interest of decorum.
“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,” he said.
He concluded that his attempt at reconciliation was made “in good conscience,” but Obasanjo’s conduct proved he was not genuinely interested in peace.
“If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting election? Do I need his validation? No,” Fayose said.
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