How Can 58 Year-Old Wike Call Fayose His Younger Brother? – Prof Odinkalu

By Adesina Soyooye

Professor Chidi Odinkalu, Lawyer, Activist, has mocked the speech made by the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, during the 65th Birthday Anniversary of his friend, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.

At the celebration attended by some who-is-who in politics, a number of people, including the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, made speeches in honour of the celebrant.

Yet, the speech which stood out was the one delivered by Wike, not for its content, but for the confusion it caused.

Heaping praises on the celebrant, Wike referred to Fayose as his “younger brother”.

Eyebrows were raised as soon as he referred to Fayose as his younger brother. Why?

The celebrant, Fayose, is officially 65, which was what he was celebrating, and Wike, officially, 58 years old.

That was the riddle and the confusion which everybody – present or absent-  faced and noted, but uttered not a word.

But not Professor Odinkalu.

Commenting on that in a post on his X page, Odinkalu wondered why a 58- year old would  refer to a 65-year old as his younger brother.

He wrote: “So, @GovAyoFayose turns 65 &@GovWike, who is officially 58 yrs, calls Gov Fayose his ‘dear younger broda….’? Am I the only person who heard that?”

Not a few people wondered if Wike made a mistake, or was just jiving.

But a few have speculated that his speech, coming a couple of hours after he was expelled from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by a faction of the Party, along with Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and a few other heavy weights, Wike’s thoughts were in Ibadan, the venue of the National Convention of the Party where he was expelled and not on the speech he was making.