Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has reiterated his uncertainty regarding his precise age, noting that estimates can only be derived by referencing the ages of his surviving former classmates.
He elaborated that several individuals who were his contemporaries during primary school are still living, and none of them is estimated to be younger than 90 years old.
Obasanjo made this revelation on Sunday while participating in “A Conversation with His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,” part of The Toyin Falola Interview Series.
The session was facilitated by Professor Toyin Falola, with additional participation from Dr. Matthew Kukah, the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, and Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a former presidential candidate.
During the interview, the former president also discussed the rationale behind the establishment of his presidential library, characterizing it as a mechanism for the preservation of national records and the reinforcement of institutional memory. He noted that millions of documents within the library have already undergone digitalization.
He stated, “We have digitized over 3 million materials. We still have approximately the same quantity, 3 million, remaining to be digitized.”
He continued, “The intent is that when these materials are digitized, the public can gain access to them. That is the primary goal. As a document preservation effort, we safeguard the past, take cognizance of the present, and seek for all these to inspire the future.”
Obasanjo further disclosed that the library preserves various personal and historical records, including his academic files and private correspondence.
He specified that the facility houses his records from primary and secondary school, a letter he composed to former military ruler General Sani Abacha following the death of his son, and another letter addressed to his wife during his period of incarceration.
Notwithstanding the existence of these preserved records, Obasanjo maintained that he still cannot state his age definitively, but indicated that his surviving classmates serve as reliable reference points.
He asserted, “I do not know my exact age, but I can estimate it based on those who were in school with me. I have provided the example of Olubara [Oba Jacob Olufemi Omolade, the Olubara of Ibara] who is still alive.”
He added, “I believe there are six of my secondary school classmates who I know are still alive, and none of them is under 90 years of age. Therefore, I leave it to you to hypothesize what my age might be.”
Regarding his preserved records, he said, “I have been able to keep my primary school report cards, and when I became President and decided to establish the library, they were accessible for exhibition.”
He concluded, “My records from primary and secondary school, and even the original manuscripts of books I have authored, including those written while I was in prison, and even maize cobs I cultivated while imprisoned, are all preserved there, which I somehow managed to maintain. The reason for the Presidential Library is this: I believe one of the deficiencies in our society is our inadequate record-keeping; institutional memory is not something we excel at.”
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