I Don’t Know My Exact Age

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has again disclosed that he does not know his exact age, explaining that he can only estimate it by comparing himself with his surviving classmates.

Obasanjo noted that several of his primary school colleagues are still alive, and none of them is below 90 years old.

He made the revelation on Sunday during the Toyin Falola Interview Series titled “A Conversation with His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,” moderated by Professor Toyin Falola, with Dr. Matthew Kukah and Professor Kingsley Moghalu joining the session.

Obasanjo also discussed the motive behind creating his Presidential Library, describing it as a centre dedicated to preserving national history and improving institutional memory. He said millions of documents have already been digitised.

“We have digitalised over 3m materials. We still have about the same number, 3m to digitalise,” he said.

He explained that the goal is to make the documents easily accessible while properly archiving Nigeria’s past and present for future generations.

The former President added that the library contains several personal and historical materials, including his school records, letters he wrote to General Sani Abacha after his son died, and another note he sent to his wife while he was in prison.

Despite these records, Obasanjo insisted they do not reveal his exact age, stressing that the only clues come from his peers' ages.

He said, “I don’t know my exact age, but I could judge from those who were in school with me… none of them is less than 90 years of age.”

Obasanjo said he preserved his primary and secondary school record cards, which were later displayed when the Presidential Library was established.

Explaining why he created the library, he said Nigerians generally do not preserve records properly, and he wanted to help correct that.

“One of the things we don’t do too well in our society is that we don’t keep records. Institutional memory is not what we do very well,” he said.