Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose have reignited their long-running feud, just days after appearing reconciled at Fayose’s 65th birthday celebration.

The renewed hostilities emerged through a text message Fayose sent to Obasanjo, which began as a note of thanks but quickly descended into insults.

In the message, Fayose accused Obasanjo of making “irresponsible comments” at the party and described him as a “mad man” who “belongs in the zoo.” He further alleged that the former president was suffering from dementia and demanded the return of money Obasanjo had acknowledged receiving. Obasanjo, in a reply released by his media aide Kehinde Akinyemi, said the money had been returned unopened and dismissed Fayose’s remarks as revealing his “unchanged and unchangeable” character.

At the birthday event in Ado-Ekiti, Obasanjo had offered a mix of praise and criticism, calling Fayose “not the best of my political children” and recalling past controversies. He also referenced a 2006 poultry project inauguration in Ekiti, where he jokingly asked Fayose if “your chicks don’t poo,” drawing laughter from attendees.

The animosity between the two dates back to 2006, when Obasanjo, then president, supported Fayose’s impeachment amid corruption allegations. Fayose has long described the move as vindictive, and despite occasional gestures of reconciliation, the pair have continued to trade public barbs for nearly two decades.

The latest exchange has sparked reactions across Nigeria. Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore mocked the spat on X, likening it to “when two deputy devils jam each other.” Many Nigerians criticized Fayose’s language as disrespectful to Yoruba cultural norms that emphasize deference to elders, while others faulted Obasanjo for using a celebratory occasion to revisit old grievances.