The Olu of Orile Kemta, Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho, has issued a strongly worded condemnation of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose following the controversial “thank you” message Fayose directed at former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday.
In a statement titled “A Royal Rebuke to Ayo Fayose,” the traditional ruler criticised Fayose’s comments, describing them as reckless, uncultured, unguarded, and entirely unwarranted. The monarch said the remarks were unbecoming of a former governor and showed a deep disregard for Yoruba culture, which places high value on humility and respect for elders.
Fayose had reacted sharply to a comment Obasanjo made during the celebration of his sixty fifth birthday in Lagos. The former governor described Obasanjo’s remarks as irresponsible and said that the eighty nine year old former head of state belongs in the zoo. The statement sparked widespread public outrage.
Responding on Tuesday, Oba Tejuosho said Fayose’s outburst reflected hollowness and haughtiness against nothing, adding that it amounted to a display of poor judgment. He emphasised that Obasanjo is not only a former military head of state and a two term civilian president but also a towering global statesman whose influence and legacy extend across Nigeria, Africa, and the international community.
“Mr Fayose, your recent message to our Baba Obasanjo was not courage. It was simply a reckless and unguarded noise. It is a confession of your own moral confusion. There is a difference between being courageous and being full of hardiness, as Baba rightly said at your birthday event,” the monarch wrote.
He explained that Fayose’s actions demonstrated a disregard for the cultural and moral expectations placed on public figures, especially those who have occupied leadership roles. He noted that such behaviour undermines the values of respect, honour, and decorum that Yoruba tradition upholds.
“You dare speak to a general while standing on ground his service, sweat, discipline, and sacrifices helped secure. You throw stones at a colossus while standing barefoot on a hill he built. You spit toward the sky forgetting that the heavens will send the rain back upon your own face tomorrow,” Oba Tejuosho warned.
The monarch also cautioned Fayose that his actions would attract consequences. He said that the former governor would have to contend with the law of karma, stressing that disrespect toward elders, particularly one as revered as Obasanjo, is unacceptable and will not go unchallenged.
Oba Tejuosho’s statement adds to the growing voices condemning Fayose’s remarks, with many Nigerians calling for restraint, mutual respect, and a return to civil discourse in political and public engagements.
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