Iyabo Obasanjo clarifies father’s real age

Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has made clarifications surrounding her father’s actual age, saying the elder statesman could be older than his official records indicate.

Speaking during an interview on The Morayo Show, Iyabo said her father is expected to celebrate his 90th birthday next year but noted that he believes he may, in fact, be about 92 years old.

According to her, the discrepancy stems from the way birth records were handled in rural communities at the time.

“My dad would have his 90th birthday next year. He was born in a small village in Ifo Local Government called Ibogun,” she said.

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She explained that there was no primary school in Ibogun during her father’s childhood, forcing children to trek to an an hamlet in neighbouring Ibogun Olaogun to attend school.

“When he started school, what they did in the village was that they just looked at other kids. That if the other kids were probably two years,  he was actually quite older, looking at some of his village contemporaries,” she said.

Iyabo added that the age recorded for her father when he was enrolled in school became his official age and has remained unchanged over the years.

“He says he would be 90 years next year officially, but he could be 92 years. But you know, once that age is stamped, it follows you for the rest of your life,” she added.