by Dolapo Adelana

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday said he does not know his true age.

He said he was told by his late mother that she gave birth to him on a market day.

Obasanjo said this at the 2017 International Youth Variety Day and Public Presentation of Olusegun Obasanjo’s Books for Children, as part of programmes for his 80th birthday.

The programme, organised by the Centre for Human Security with the theme, “Presidential Libraries Will Reduce Leadership Deficit in Africa”, held at theatre hall of the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

“At early stage in my life, I had the challenge of knowing my date of birth, and my peers always asked, while in return I persisted in asking my mother, who was an illiterate and had no records.

“When I continued to put pressure on my mother, she told me that she was preparing to go to market on the said day, and went into labour, and before others could return from the market, she had given birth to me,” Obasanjo said.

The former president said he arrived at his current age when he considered the ages of some of peers at the time.

“I’m not as lucky as some of my peers who know the dates of their birth. What matters to me is that I have chosen a date. If I don’t even know the exact date of my birth, at least I know my age group,” he emphasised.

Oludolapo Adelana

Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.