Three years after a controversy broke out on his paternity, former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday defended his origin. He said his father was a Yoruba and not Igbo as being speculated, reports Sunday Oguntola

Was former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s father Yoruba? The question was answered yesterday at a book presentation.

Obasanjo said his dad was Yoruba and not Igbo as being speculated.

There were speculations that his father was from Igbo extraction.

The controversy was finally laid to rest in a 60-page book titled: Baba’s story: Nigeria is 50, which was presented in Lagos.

It was authored by Abyna-Ansaa Adjei, a Ghanaian.

Obasanjo’s reaction to his paternity is on page 9 of the book.

He said the story he narrated to the author about his father, a successful Egba farmer, was related to him (by his father).

The ex-president declined comments on political developments in the country.

Instead, he radiated joy by shaking hands with everybody in sight, while dancing on the podium in the expansive hall of the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Obasanjo said: “I was born in a village called Ibogun-Olaogun in what was then Abeokuta Province and which is today part of Ifo Local Government Area in Ogun State. This village is only 30 kilometres from Abeokuta. As a child, I lived in Ibogun-Olaogun with my parents and my younger sister, Oluwola. Our childhood was a simple one spent in a typical Nigerian farming settlement. Our village had less than 50 huts built with mud walls and mostly thatched roofs and the only jobs at the time were farming or petty trading in farm products.

“By age five, I had started going to the farm with papa and that was when he began to teach me about the history, culture and traditions of my ancestors and our land. Our village, though small, was composed of other ethnic groups such as Itsekiri, Urhobo, Igbira, Hausa, Igbo and Ijaw who were also either petty traders or farm hands. My father, who was by every measure, the most successful farmer in the village and in the Ibogun area, was a proud Yoruba man and he told me about Oduduwa, the founder of the Yoruba nation. Papa had heard this story from his own father, Baba Alarobo, who also heard it from his father, Baba Elesin. Papa said this story had been told for hundreds of years in our family in this ‘father-to-son’ way. Although, my father never stopped teaching us Yoruba culture, proverbs and tradition, he made us also respect the language, the culture, traditions and ways of life of other people living in the village.”

Dignitaries at the book launch were former President of Ghana, Mr. John Kuffour, former Governor of Jigawa State Saminu Turaki; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo and Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi 1.

Others included former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Dr. Ola Vincent and Chief Feyi Oshinkanlu.

Kuffour, who exuded confidence on the future of African continent advised Nigerians not to be weighed down by the Fitch rating since, according to him, the continent is destined to rise again.

On the 2011 election, Kuffour said: “ I pray that Nigeria will be able to conduct a peaceful election that its outcome will be acceptable to all Nigerians”

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Well , for once i have never believed the speculation of ''baba obas'' being fathered by an igbo man. Yorubas are not known to be that nice , when it comes to the issue of ''omo ale yoruba'' especially the Egbas, where ''baba obas'' originates from. Good one to finally stick it in their faces that he is a true born. Igbos need not lay claims to him!

I know his village at Ibogun, His father was head hunter to my Grand Pa Hunters' club in that area. Papa is a complete Yoruba man.

obasanjo originated from chimpanzee and not igbo.

lol@that foto