{"id":5410,"date":"2026-01-30T18:29:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T18:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/?p=5410"},"modified":"2026-05-09T18:13:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T18:13:48","slug":"olusegun-obasanjo-the-grand-oracle-of-nigerian-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/olusegun-obasanjo-the-grand-oracle-of-nigerian-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Olusegun Obasanjo: The &#8220;Grand Oracle&#8221; of Nigerian Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-119\">Chief Olusegun Obasanjo<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-119\"> (born 1937), popularly known as <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"56\"><span class=\"citation-119\">OBJ<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-119\"> or <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"63\"><span class=\"citation-119\">Baba<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-119 citation-end-119\">, is a towering figure in African history.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-118\">He holds the unique distinction of being the first military ruler in Africa to voluntarily hand over power to a civilian government (1979) and later serving as the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"274\"><span class=\"citation-118\">first president of Nigeria\u2019s Fourth Republic<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-118 citation-end-118\"> (1999\u20132007).<\/span> As of <b data-path-to-node=\"1\" data-index-in-node=\"338\">January 6, 2026<\/b>, he remains a hyper-active elder statesman, acting as a relentless critic of the status quo and a diplomatic &#8220;firefighter&#8221; across the continent.<\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"2\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"3\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"3\">Key Biographical Information<\/h3>\n<table data-path-to-node=\"4\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Detail<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Information<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Full Name<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,1,1,0\">Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,2,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,2,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Born<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,2,1,0\">March 5, 1937, Abeokuta, Ogun State<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,3,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Presidency<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,3,1,0\">1976\u20131979 (Military); 1999\u20132007 (Civilian)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,4,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,4,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Status<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,4,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Elder Statesman<\/b> (Age 88 as of January 2026).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,5,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,5,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Legacy Pillars<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,5,1,0\">Debt relief for Nigeria, EFCC\/ICPC creation, and AfCFTA advocacy.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,6,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,6,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Current Residence<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"4,6,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"4,6,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Oluwanishola Farm<\/b> \/ Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"5\" \/>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"6\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"6\">2025\u20132026: The &#8220;Incomplete Mission.&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\"><span class=\"citation-117 citation-end-117\">Entering 2026, Obasanjo has shown no signs of slowing down, recently declaring that the mission of Nigeria&#8217;s leaders is &#8220;not done yet.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"8\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-116\">Criticism of the Security Crisis:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-116\"> In late 2025, Obasanjo became a vocal critic of President <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"8,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"92\"><span class=\"citation-116\">Bola Tinubu\u2019s<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-116 citation-end-116\"> administration regarding the nation&#8217;s insecurity.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-115 citation-end-115\">Speaking in Jos in December 2025, he urged the government to &#8220;stop apologizing&#8221; to terrorists and instead use advanced technology like drones to &#8220;take them out.&#8221;<\/span> This prompted a sharp rebuttal from the Presidency, which accused him of lacking credibility on the issue.<\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Political Re-strategizing:<\/b> Throughout December 2025, Obasanjo&#8217;s home in Abeokuta became a &#8220;Mecca&#8221; for political consultations ahead of the 2027 elections. He hosted high-level delegations from the <b data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"197\">PDP National Working Committee<\/b> and former presidential candidates like <b data-path-to-node=\"8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"268\">Olawepo-Hashim<\/b>, urging them to prioritize national security and stability over partisan gains.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Pan-African Diplomacy:<\/b><span class=\"citation-114\"> In September 2025, he chaired the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"57\"><span class=\"citation-114\">Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-114\"> in Algiers, where he brokered deals projected to unlock over <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"150\"><span class=\"citation-114\">$44 billion<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-114 citation-end-114\"> in trade.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-113\">On New Year&#8217;s Eve 2025, he chaired the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"211\"><span class=\"citation-113\">Future Africa Leaders Awards<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-113 citation-end-113\">, continuing his role as a mentor to the continent&#8217;s next generation.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\">Health and Lifestyle: The &#8220;Diabetes Warrior&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">Obasanjo\u2019s longevity is a point of national fascination, particularly his management of chronic illness.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"11\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-112\">World Diabetes Day (Nov 2025):<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-112\"> To mark the day, the nearly 90-year-old statesman led a <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"87\"><span class=\"citation-112\">15-minute brisk walk<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-112 citation-end-112\"> (covering over 3km) from his library complex.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-111\">Having lived with diabetes for over 40 years, he used the event to launch a campaign to get <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"11,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"246\"><span class=\"citation-111\">one million Nigerians tested<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-111 citation-end-111\">, emphasizing that &#8220;lifestyle modification is the best remedy.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"11,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Active Routine:<\/b> He continues to be an avid squash player and farmer, famously waking up at dawn to attend to his poultry and agricultural interests at his farm in Ota.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"12\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"12\">The Presidential Library (OOPL)<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\"><span class=\"citation-110 citation-end-110\">His library in Abeokuta remains a hub for global diplomacy.<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"citation-109\">Just days ago, on <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"13\" data-index-in-node=\"78\"><span class=\"citation-109\">January 3, 2026<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-109\">, former Kenyan President <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"13\" data-index-in-node=\"119\"><span class=\"citation-109\">Uhuru Kenyatta<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-109 citation-end-109\"> toured the complex, describing it as a &#8220;vital repository of Africa\u2019s political and cultural legacy.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (born 1937), popularly known as OBJ or Baba, is a towering figure in African history. He holds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-offbeat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5410"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5411,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5410\/revisions\/5411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}