I don’t know my exact age – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the
ceremony marking his 77th birthday in Abeokuta,
the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday said that he
did not know his real age.
Obasanjo described the 77th birthday as his “official
birthday”.
He said, “There are those of us like me who have
no real record of birth. I want to thank God once
again for what He has done in my life. Whether I
know the exact date of my birth or not, I think God
has made my path glorious.
“I was actually born on Ifo market day because
according to my mother, she had prepared to go to
the Ifo Market and Ifo market was every five days.
And then she was in labour, before those who went
to Ifo market could come back, I was born.
“I know and she knew I was born on Ifo market
day. Don’t ask me what year or month.”
Obasanjo’s revelation was in response to the Olowu
of Owu, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu’s assertion that the
two-time leader of the country was actually older
than 77 years.
He said it was not important that he did not know
his age as that had not stopped God from making
his path a glorious one.
The former President, who spoke amid applause,
thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for
“congratulating me on this day of my official
birthday.”
The event, which was organised by the Centre for
Human Security, in conjunction with the UNESCO
Institute for African Culture and International
Understanding, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo
Presidential Library, in Abeokuta.
The ex-President described himself as a lucky man,
saying he would have been “consumed” if God had
taken his shortcomings into account.
He said, “I have been very lucky for many things. At
one occasion, I said God has never disappointed me
and a journalist who thinks that he knows too much
asked if I had disappointed God. I said, of course, as
long as I am living on flesh and blood, I am liable to
be unworthy. In all, I have strived to meet the
standard of what God expects of me.
“God has never taken my shortcomings, my failures
and all that into account. He hasn’t counted them
against me because if He had, I would have been
consumed. So, God has really sustained me with
His grace, mercy, goodness and compassion.”
Earlier in his goodwill message, Dosunmu described
Obasanjo as a “humane” man who never took the
issues bordering on Nigerian unity lightly.
He said, “When you speak against the unity of
Nigeria, you would see the red of Obasanjo’s eye. It
is not by accident, it is in-built. He fears God and
honours all human beings,”
Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, said in his
remarks that the former President had remained a
blessing to the state and the country at large.
“Hate or love Obasanjo, you cannot just take
something from him. Obasanjo’s passion for the
unity of Nigeria is second to none,” the governor
said.
Other dignitaries at the event were a former Ekiti
State Governor, Chief Segun Oni; former Minister of
Education, Prof. Babalola Borishade; a former
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero;
the immediate past chairman of SURE-P, Dr.
Christopher Kolade; and Sierra Leonean Minister of
Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Minkailu
Bah.
Others were a former Executive Secretary, National
Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola;
state Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye; a
former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof.
Oye Ibidapo-Obe; and Prof. Akin Mabogunje.