By: Moses Ademiloye (JBS)
I read with keen interest the recent intervention by one Mr. Ismail Omipidan titled “Ekiti: Before We Crucify Oyebanji”. While the piece may have been well-intentioned, it subtly shifts blame and spins a narrative that unfortunately casts Dr. Kayode Fayemi in an unfair and misleading light. As someone who has followed the Ekiti political trajectory over the years, it is important to present a more balanced perspective, one that acknowledges facts, context, and the weight of political legacy.
First, we must begin by clarifying that Dr. Kayode Fayemi is not a man given to petty politics, grudge-holding, or anti-party activities. Whatever his recent associations may be, they should be situated within the broader context of national conversations and his well-known bridge-building style. To say that he’s meeting with elements from the ADC to constitutes an existential threat to Governor Biodun Oyebanji or the APC in Ekiti is at best, an exaggeration and at worst, a deliberate distortion.
Let us not forget that Dr. Fayemi practically birthed the Oyebanji political project. He staked his political capital and goodwill on Oyebanji’s emergence at a time when others doubted the governor’s viability. Their relationship is one of political mentorship and deep personal trust, not rivalry or competition. If there’s a rift today ( I’m so sure there’s none) , it cannot and should not be reduced to one-off events or insinuations about secret plots. Instead, mature minds must interrogate the broader environment, including those around the governor who have found comfort in sowing discord between both men.
The claim that Dr. Fayemi made “uncomplimentary remarks” because some stakeholders did not attend a meeting he helped convene is not consistent with his character. Fayemi has always held Ekiti stakeholders in high regard, even those with whom he has political differences. He has never been known to embarrass his successors in public or private settings. If he expressed frustration, it is likely born from a sense of betrayal or miscommunication, not ego.
Moreover, the assumption that Dr. Fayemi “played into the hands” of his detractors by skipping a rally is simplistic. In politics, attendance is not the only form of endorsement; silence can be strategic, especially when the ground beneath is shifting. Fayemi may have chosen dignity over drama. After all, he remains one of Nigeria’s most cerebral and strategic political actors. His absence may have sent a message, but not one of malice.
we must not allow revisionist history to diminish H.E Dr. Fayemi’s enormous contributions to the growth of APC in Ekiti and Nigeria at large. Leadership transitions come with their tensions, but we owe it to the truth to avoid framing principled disagreements as betrayal. If reconciliation is needed, let it be sincere and devoid of backhanded narratives. Ekiti deserves unity, maturity and justice, not convenient scapegoating.
