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After leaving the insinuations for years unaddressed, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has finally reacted to claims that his paternity originated from the Igbo people in the Southeastern part of the country.
Over the years, rumours have been going around, claiming that Obasanjo was born to an Igbo father from Anambra State.
But the retired military general and former military head of state said he's always amused whenever he hears such a claim.
He made this known when he received in audience the leadership of Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Market Association, an umbrella body of major markets in Lagos state held at the boardroom of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
At the same time, the former President said he doesn’t believe anybody in Nigeria should be driven away from any part of the country declaring that, “we own this country together.”
This is contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Friday.
According to Akinyemi, Obasanjo who was said to have been economical with words on the paternity claim subject simply said, “It just makes me laugh.”
Regarding the meeting, the elder statesman said the group’s leadership reached out to him to support the establishment of the Owerri Central Market positioned to be the best of its kind in the country.
The former President acknowledged that the Central Market Owerri had been contemplated since the creation of Imo State, adding that for one reason or another, it has not been implemented, “but, I am glad it is coming up again and I hope this time, we are all going to make it real. It is going to be big, the first of its kind," he said.
Expressing the desire to lead the marketing team for the market, Obasanjo said “And, I am happy also that the governor is showing the desired interest and understanding. And, I am confident that the Owerri Central Market will be.”