Abeokuta, Ogun State – Former President and elder statesman Olusegun Obasanjo celebrated his 89th birthday on Thursday, March 5, 2026, marking a life defined by resilience, leadership, and near-miraculous escapes from death.
A former army general, Obasanjo first ruled Nigeria as Military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and later as civilian president from 1999 to 2007. Over his lifetime, he has survived at least 12 life-threatening incidents, earning him a reputation as one of Nigeria’s luckiest leaders.
Obasanjo’s Brush with Death
In his three-volume autobiography, My Watch, Obasanjo recounts moments that nearly claimed his life—from surviving infant mortality that claimed all but one of his siblings, to a near-fatal scorpion bite in his youth. He also nearly drowned in the Ogun River while learning to swim and escaped an alleged assassination plot while at the University of Ibadan.
Military coups further tested his survival. Obasanjo narrowly escaped death during the January and July 1966 coups and the February 1976 assassination of then Head of State Murtala Muhammed. In October 2015, he survived a car accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, when a tyre burst caused his vehicle to spin uncontrollably, yet he emerged unscathed.
During his presidency, Obasanjo also faced significant threats. In 2004, a foiled coup aimed to topple his government, and later that year, military officers allegedly plotted to shoot down his helicopter. While details on the prosecution remain limited, these events highlighted the constant dangers surrounding his leadership.
Other Nigerian Leaders Who Survived Death
Obasanjo is not alone. Ibrahim Babangida, 84, survived a gunshot to the chest during a 1969 military operation between Enugu and Umuahia. Choosing not to remove the bullet, Babangida carries it to this day and remains active in political and social circles at his Minna residence.
Yakubu Gowon, 91, narrowly escaped multiple assassination attempts during the 1966 and 1975 coups, events that claimed several officers but spared him due to circumstance. Gowon continues to serve as a respected elder statesman.
“I Won’t Die Anytime Soon”
Obasanjo has publicly stated that at 89, he is far from done. He condemned a fake letter circulating about his death, asserting that those spreading it were wasting their time because, in his words, “I dey Kampe.”
From brushes with death in childhood to military coups and political plots, Obasanjo’s life story remains a testament to survival, endurance, and the twists of fate that have shaped Nigeria’s modern history.
