Maybe he wanted to fight evil. Maybe he didn't realize how big the task was. It has nothing to do with ego, but it reveals how you view the world. People do things just "for their ego," in your world. Guess what – most people are not self-absorbed to the point where they would say something like that in sincerity.
Have you forgotten about the COVID-19 and race riot hoaxes? We're very much in the most redpilling phase thus far.
Ah, but there you go. He's a far cry from the "evil dictator" they've tried to paint him as, isn't he?
When the painting is absurd beyond reason, that's when the people will be open to replacing the painting.