Obasanjo breaks silence on Igbo paternity, issues strong statement, details emerge

• The controversy about former president Olusegun Obasanjo's non-Yoruba ancestry has been an endless debate over the years
• Some people had claimed that the former president was born to an Igbo father from Anambra State
• For the first time, Obasanjo reacted; he laughs off the claims and urged Nigerians to be united, declaring that, “we own this country together”

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the first time, clarified the claim of his Igbo paternity, declaring that such insinuation makes him laugh.

Obasanjo addresses claims his father is Igbo. Photo credit: Olusegun Obasanjo
Source: Facebook

Obasanjo said that he doesn’t believe anybody in Nigeria should be driven away from any part of the country, declaring that, “we own this country together.”

There has been an allegation that Obasanjo’s father hailed from Anambra State.

Daily Trust reported that in the build-up to the 2023 election, the former president was accused of backing Peter Obi of the Labour Party, because of his (Obasanjo’s) Igbo roots.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Friday, August 16, quoted Obasanjo to have made reference to the alleged Igbo roots.

The Punch reported that Obasanjo spoke while receiving the leadership of Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Market Association, an umbrella body of major markets in Lagos state held at the boardroom of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Read more about Obasanjo's story:

• Protest: Jonathan, Buhari, others hold closed-door meeting with Tinubu, Obasanjo absent
• “Fuel subsidy is back,” Obasanjo alleges in viral interview, details emerge
• “I still play squash”: Obasanjo shares secrets of active lifestyle at 87, video trends

Hardship: "Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder", Obj tells Tinubu

In another development, Legit.ng reported that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the situation of Nigeria as a country 'sitting on a keg of gunpowder', following the spate of hardship in the country.

This was as he said that Nigeria will not make meaningful progress unless both leaders and citizens adopt what he referred to as “moral rearmament.”

Source: Legit.ng