List of Olusegun Obasanjos Children and their Mothers

August 2024 · 16 minute read

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has about 20 children from different women. His well-known children include Iyabo, Adeboye, Gbenga, Dare, Olubunmi, Damilola, Seun, Olujonwo, Kofo, Funso, Toyosi, Bukola, Busayo, Bisoye, Funke, Segun, Bola, Dayo, Olu and Kunle. 

The 85-year-old Nigerian nationalist remains a popular figure in Nigerian history for many reasons, including being the first Nigerian to serve as a military and civilian leader, one of the country’s longest-serving presidents, and among other things, the Nigerian President with the most children.

Olusegun Obasanjo’s Children Include 19 Biological Kids and one Adopted Son

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo is a polygamous man and is among many powerful men whose homes were blessed with children. Though a father of a score, the former President knew all his children by their names.

In his controversial memoir ‘My Watch,’ the former military leader mentioned that his 20 children, of which 19 are biological and one adopted, are highly successful in their various bids, with about eight of them being d Ph.D. holders in their various fields. To him, this is a great achievement for himself and his generation.

For someone who had spent much of his life in the military, one would think of the former political leader as an absentee father but on the contrary, he was an ever-present father who carried his children along even as he proceeded in his career. To Obasanjo’s children, he was a disciplined yet very protective father.

Even though he appears tough on the outside, he is a “true softy” on the inside. The controversial memoir ‘My Watch,’ listed the names of Olusegun Obasanjo’s 20 children  to include the following:

Only a few of Olusegun Obasanjo’s children listed above are known to the public. This is because they preferred a life of simplicity and free of controversies. However, despite their quiet lifestyles, most of them still came public, mainly for controversial reasons.

While many of the children have taken to their career paths, quite a number of them have joined their father to make remarkable impacts in Nigeria’s politics or the military. Below are details of the most popular Olusegun Obasanjo’s children.

Obasanjo’s First Daughter Iyabo Obasanjo was a famous Nigerian Senator

Iyabo Obasanjo is Olusegun Obasanjo’s first child and daughter. She was born on April 27, 1967, and her mother’s name is Oluremi Obasanjo. As the daughter of military personnel, Iyabo traveled a lot during her early year. This affected her basic education as she moved from one school to another.

She started at Corona School in Victoria Island, Lagos, and then moved to Capital School in Kaduna. Returning to Lagos state, she gained admission to Queen’s College. Iyabo also obtained a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ibadan in 1988. She got her Master’s in epidemiology from the University of California in 1990 and a Ph.D. in the same course from Cornell University, Ithaca, in 1994.

Iyabo shares a very cordial relationship with her father. Possibly, her close interaction with her father inspired her interest in politics. Her first political job was as Ogun State Commissioner for Health, after which she was elected as a Nigerian Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District of Ogun State under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in April 2007.

Her senatorial ambition, however, ended in 2015, after she was defeated. During her two-term service as a senator, Iyabo was the Chairman of the Senate’s Health Committee and an individual from the Security and Intelligence, Land Transport, Science and Technology, Education, National Planning, and Inter-Parliamentary Committees.

Though a daughter of a famous elder statesman and a former Nigerian Senator, Iyabo leads a very private life. However, we know that she married Oluwafolajimi Akeem Bello in September 1999, and they welcomed their son Jimi in 2000. The couple separated in 2003,  and Iyabo currently lives in the United States of America and works as an assistant professor at the College of William & Mary Department of Health Sciences.

scandals involving Iyabo Obasanjo

Iyabo has been involved in several controversial issues and being a two-term senator, most controversies involving her are politically related. One such controversy was her heated public fight with her father. This stems from her open attack on her father via an open letter she wrote to him in December 2013.

The open letter has the former senator recounting her father’s parental failings as a father and, among other things, questioning his moral right to criticize others. The letter, which was Iyabo’s response to her father’s criticism of Goodluck Jonathan’s third-term presidential ambition, has the former senator lashing out at her father for condemning a quest he tried while he was President.

The former senator’s letter was described mainly as one that exposed Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s character as selfish, corrupt, pretentious, and corrupt, among other things. Nearly a year after, Obasanjo replied to his daughter in portions of his memoirs, My Watch. The memoir has him accusing her of succumbing to the advances of Goodluck Jonathan’s government because of “her character” and “the influence of her mother.”

Gbenga Obasanjo

 

Gbenga is Obasanjo’s son with one of his many women. He was born in 1971 and is currently 52 years old. He is the younger brother of Iyabo Obasanjo, so his mother’s name is Oluremi Obasanjo. Olugbenga is a medical doctor by profession. He has a degree certificate in epidemiology, but unfortunately, further details about where he had his education are not known.

Gbenga is currently single but was previously married to Mojisola Olayemisi Amope. They both changed marital vows in April 2000 and produced three children in four years. The marriage eventually headed for the rocks four years after the doctor accused his father of having an affair with his estranged wife.

Gbenga not only accused his father and Nigeria’s former President of having sexual relations with his wife before awarding her contracts but also alleged that his wife also slept with her father and other men. This was contained in an affidavit he submitted to the court in response to a messy divorce case already filed by his wife.

The affidavit also had Gbenga further claiming that the paternity of the three children that are the product of his marriage to Moji was in doubt, considering her alleged multiple sexual relationships with several men. The pair eventually separated in 2004, and Moji was given custody of their children.

Adeboye Obasanjo is Obasanjo’s Only Child in the Military 

Colonel Adeboye Obasanjo is military personnel now being referred to as brigadier-general Adeboye Obasanjo after his promotion from colonel to brigadier-general in the Nigerian Army in January 2022. Adeboye’s mother’s name is unknown, nor is his date of birth and educational background.

But from what we gather, he is an Engineering Corps member, and he holds two Master’s degrees with other qualifications. He also served in many operations and formations in Nigeria and abroad.

In a book titled “Bitter Sweet My Life with Obasanjo” written by Mrs. Oluremi Obasanjo, Adeboye’s mother was revealed to be a divorcee brought to the former general by one of his aunts who lived in Arigbajo, Ogun State. Oluremi further noted that she was chased out of their matrimonial home in Ikoyi, Lagos state, for challenging the former President’s philandering.

On September 8, 2014, the senior officer was shot in the leg by Boko Haram in Baza in Adamawa State. Adeboye, then a Lieutenant Colonel, was deployed to the battlefield from 3 Division in Jos, Plateau State. In one of their operations, his platoon was attacked by the terrorist group, leading to the death of 24 soldiers and the loss of an armored tank.

He was later admitted to Yola Federal Medical Centre, where he received treatment for a few days. Not much is known about Adeboye’s love life, but he is said to be married to Daisy Nyada in 2008, and his father’s mansion at Abeokuta was the venue for the wedding.

Dare Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo Children

Dare is a certified Software Developer known to be currently working with Jendalu Ventures, a software development company based in Lagos State. Dare is one of Olusegun Obasanjo’s children who bares a striking resemblance with their father. Unfortunately, there is only a little information we can gather about him.

Even his social media handles are private except for Twitter which he joined in 2007 and posts mostly about tech-related topics. In an interview he once granted, Dare blames his less social lifestyle on his hectic work life. He also revealed that the program he writes takes a lot of energy and time, but the result is worth it.

While it is not clear which of Obasanjo’s women had him, we can discover that Dare is married to a white American woman, and their union is blessed with gorgeous kids.

Dami Obasanjo

Damilola Obasanjo is Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s daughter, with his wife, Oluremi Obasanjo. She is the last of six children Oluremi had with the former President, and her siblings include Iyabo, Busola, Olusegun, Olugbenga, and Enitan. Dami was born in 1982, and she is currently 41 years old.

Nothing much has been revealed about Damilola’s childhood and educational background, but she is said to be working with Shell Petroleum as a trained chemical engineer. She is also said to be married to Tope Borishade, son of the former Minister of Aviation, Babalola Borisade. Tope had his first degree at Obafemi Awolowo University, where he trained as an accountant. Their wedding ceremony was held at the former President’s Hilltop residence in Abeokuta.

Muyiwa Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo Children

Muyiwa is one of Olusegun Obasanjo’s children. He was born in 1977 to the former military leader by his second wife, Stella Obasanjo. As the only son and child of his mother, Muyi was kept away from the media until the sudden death of his mother in 2005. Currently 46 years old, Olumuyiwa Obasanjo was already 28 years old when his mother passed away.

Not much has been revealed about his early years and educational background, but he is said to be a certified legal counselor in New York and had completed his secondary education at St. Johns College, US. Muyiwa is married to his Dominican sweetheart Imilse Emilia Gracia. They got married in August 2006, shortly after his beloved mother was laid to rest.

Olujonwo Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo Children

Olujonwo Obasanjo is one of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s children known to the public. He was born in 1983, and his mother’s name is Taiwo Obasanjo. He also has a direct sibling whose name is Esther Olubunmi Obasanjo. Details of Olujonwo’s childhood and educational background are unknown.

However, in an interview with a news media, Olujonwo revealed that he studied International Relations and grew up in a family where discipline was their watchword. Olujonwo’s name came public mostly in 2018, ahead of the 2019’s general election that ushered in Mohammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s President for a second term. The son of the former President emerged as the new national President of the Buhari Youth Organization (BYO).

The young politician had expressed willingness to work for Buhari’s re-election bid. In an open letter addressed to Festus Keyamo, Olujonwo urged Nigerian youths to support President Buhari. In June 2017, Olujonwo’s name resurfaced on various social media tabloids as he dragged his wife Temitope to court over domestic violence, intimidation, and threat to his life.

The young politician claimed that his wife had, since the night of their flamboyant wedding, vowed to take his life. He claimed Temitope told him that she would kill him and nothing would happen. Despite all his claims, he couldn’t serve his estranged wife divorce papers because Temitope has no legal representation.

Olakunle Churchill Obasanjo is Obasanjo’s Adopted Son

Olakunle Churchill is not Obasanjo’s biological son. He was adopted by the former President who was his father’s boss. His biological father worked as a gardener for the Obasanjos for many years and the former President in his kindness, decided to adopt his son and treat him as his own son. This helped the young man in no small way to become the successful man he is today.

Kunle had his primary and secondary education in Ondo, Lagos, and Ogun State. He finally completed his senior secondary education at the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta, Ogun State. As the son of a famous military leader, Churchill had the chance to join the Nigerian Defense Academy to become a Military officer but he chose not to.

Instead, he traveled to India, where he studied Information Technology at Assam Don Bosco University. In June 2016, ISCG University in the Republic of Benin awarded him an honorary Doctorate Degree. Olakunle is not so much interested in politics as his father, but even as a businessman, he is quite popular in society –  thanks partly to his marriage to the renowned Nigerian actress Tonto Dikeh.

He married the said actress in 2015 after discovering she was pregnant for him. Barely a year after their flamboyant traditional marriage, Kunle and his estranged wife welcomed a son named King Andre Omodayo Oladunni Churchill.

Meet the Mothers of all Olusegun Obasanjo’s Children  

Olusegun Obasanjo was a well-known polygamist, and even after marrying several wives, he still hooked up with many other women who, in turn, had children for him. The former President has been married quite a few times, but unfortunately, not all of them are currently living with him.

While some have left him, others of his women have passed away. Currently, he lives with one of his baby mamas – Bola Obasanjo. Check out interesting facts about all the women in the former President’s life.

Oluremi Obasanjo was His first Wife and mother of his Six Children

Obasanjo married Esther Oluremi Obasanjo on Saturday, June 22, 1963, at Camberwell Green Registry, South East London, and they lived together for seven years before their divorce in 1970. Remi and Obasanjo met for the first time in the Owu Baptist Church Choir when she was 14 years old.

They courted for eight years before she agreed to become his wife without the knowledge of their families, and they welcomed their first child Iyabo Obasanjo in 1967. While his wife, Oluremi, assumed the role of First Lady of Nigeria in February 1976 when her husband was Head of state following a coup that resulted in the death of Murtala Muhammed.

She also assumed the role of Second Lady o Nigerian from July 29, 1975, to February 13, 1976, when Obasanjo was Chief of Staff. In 2008, Esther Oluremi published an autobiography titled Bitter-Sweet: My Life with Obasanjo. The book chronicled her life experiences with Olusegun Obasanjo, portraying him as a violent womanizer.

Oluremi Obasanjo is the mother of six of Olusegun Obasanjo’s 20 children. Her children include Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, Busola Obasanjo, Olusegun Obasanjo, Olugbenga Obasanjo, Enitan Obasanjo, and Damilola Obasanjo.

Stella Obasanjo was Olusegun Obasanjo’s Second Wife and Mother of One 

Olusegun Obasanjo children

Stella Obasanjo is the only wife of the former President who was so publicly displayed as his wife. The late former First Lady, who died on Sunday, October 23, 2005, in Spain after a failed tummy tuck surgery, was an Edo State indigene and daughter of a famously wealthy Edo chieftain.

In addition to being a well-educated woman, Stella was a political activist in her own right. She supported such causes as women’s liberation, youth as leaders of tomorrow, and the rehabilitation of a war-torn Nigeria. While it is not clear how Stella and Obasanjo met and got married, we know that they had a son named Olumuyiwa Obasanjo, who was born in 1977 and is currently living his private life with his wife and children.

Other Women in Olusegun Obasanjo’s life

Gold Bridget Oruh –  A former director at Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who met the former President as a reporter in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the civil war. Her sizzling romance with the former Nigerian President produced two children, namely Funke and Seun Obasanjo. Gold was born on November 26 1946 and died on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.

Taiwo Obasanjo – Taiwo is the twin sister of Mr. Kenny Martins, a popular Lagos socialite and politician best known as former Chairman of the Police Equipment Fund. She was married to Obasanjo, and their union produced two children: Esther Olubunmi Obasanjo and Olujonwo Obasanjo.

Taiwo and Obasanjo have long separated. Their separation came after her secret dalliance with one of Nigeria’s most dangerous politicians, Godwin Daboh Adzuana, became public knowledge.

Lynda Obasanjo (nee Soares) – Lynda was one of Obasanjo’s wives who lost her life as a first lady. She was murdered on Valentine’s day in 1987 by a gang of young robbers. While nothing much is known about her relationship with the former leader. Before her death at the age of 45, Lynda was said to have had two children with Obasanjo. Unfortunately, their names and other details are unavailable.

Mabel Okosode Obasanjo – She is another woman in Obasanjo’s life who had children for him. However, the exact number of her children is unknown. Not much is known about their marriage, and the reasons behind their separation remain unclear.

Labo Salako –  Labo is the wife of the late Captain Salako, Obasanjo’s mate in London, who died in 1972. After the death of her husband, she moved in with the Obasanjos at their Ikoyi residence on the advice of Obasanjo and his wife, Remi. Not long after Labo lived with them, her dalliance with the former army general caught Remi’s attention.

To worsen the matter, Labo wrote Obasanjo a letter in which she asked him to divorce his wife, Remi. When Remi saw the letter, she made several photocopies and sent them to friends and relations. This led to Remi’s departure from her matrimonial home for several months.

The story is in Mrs. Oluremi Obasanjo’s book, Bitter-Sweet. However, it is unknown whether Mrs Labo had any children with Obasanjo. Currently, the two are no longer together as a couple.

Bola Obasanjo – Bola is the mother of Funsho Obasanjo, one of Olusegun Obasanjo’s daughters. Her daughter is a known member of the Institute of Directors (IoD); the Chartered Institute of Banking; the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the American Chemical Society.

Bola is the current wife of the former army general, and she is presently living with him in Ota, Ogun state. Bola was formerly based in London but had to relocate to Nigeria to be his resident wife. Bola is a very reserved person, and she rarely interferes in the nation’s political affairs. She pays more attention to taking care of her family.

ncG1vNJzZmiapa%2FHr7XGnqmimV6YvK57y6KqrWWfm3qwuNSsnKCtnmK8o63SmqWjp6NisKm1y52pnqZdlruledOhnKKqXaK8tbTEq6po