A FormerGovernor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said that he hopes elder statesman Chief Afe Babalola “is not suffering from narcissistic personality disorder that prevents him from seeing the good in others. The former governor and ex minister on Tuesday, said he would no longer allow elder statesman and fellow Ekiti man, Chief Afe Babalola, control the narrative regarding his time in office, because it was obvious his constant attacks were intentional.
Fayemi, in an exclusive chat with THISDAY, said while he might grant the legal luminary the indulgence of failing memory, he was worried Babalola might be suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder that prevented him from seeing the good in others.
Reacting to a recent news report, where Babalola was quoted as saying all former Ekiti State governors did nothing to develop the state, Fayemi said he was the target, as that was not the first time the elder statesman would be going all out against him.
Fayemi stated regarding Babalola, “If you have followed events in the state very closely, you’d know that this is not the first time he has done it. But I’ve restrained myself for a long time. First, he is an elder whose first child is older than me and I’m quite friendly with his children.
“Second, my wife has begged me not to respond in the last one and a half years that he has been on the attack. Even now, she will not be happy with me, but Chief Babalola has been relentless in his attack. I’m sorry, I won’t allow him control the narrative about my time in office.
“It is important for people to know this is malicious and not a dispassionate and objective assessment. The only thing I brought to public service is my name and I won’t let people take my silence as consent as far as Chief Babalola’s opinion is concerned.”
Arguing that Babalola’s hatred for him was entrenched, Fayemi stated, “He carried his hatred to the point where he even approached King’s College London if, indeed, it’s true that they made me a Visiting Professor. Haba!
“How can an old man behave this way? And my counsel to him has always been that he should see himself as the father of all and refrain from partisanship when it comes to issues of governance and development in Ekiti.
“Age is supposed to imbue one with a level of circumspection in what one says, but not this old man who believes he owns Ekiti and any governor who chooses not to grovel before him and shower him with sycophantic adulation of the Almighty Afe Babalola must be brought down. Unfortunately, I will not grovel before any human being. Only God is Almighty in my books.
“But then, Chief Afe Babalola is an old man and as well brought up Omoluabi, one should grant him the indulgence of failing memory that comes with age”. “We will continue to applaud his contribution to Ekiti State but I hope Baba is not suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder that prevents him from seeing the good in others even as he relishes his exaggerated sense of self.”, Fayemi said.