VIDEO: I’ll attend your 70th birthday, Obasanjo jokes about missing Olota’s 80th celebration

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo added humour and warmth to the 60th birthday celebration of the Olota of Ota, Oba Professor Abdulkabir Obalanlege, offering prayers for the monarch while delivering a lighthearted remark about future milestones.

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Speaking in Yoruba during the anniversary event, the 89-year-old elder statesman reflected on his early-morning call to the traditional ruler before making a humorous pledge regarding the monarch’s future milestone birthdays.

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“Kabiyesi, I called you this morning and prayed for you,” Obasanjo said in Yoruba.

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Obasanjo drew laughter from guests when calculating the timeline of the monarch’s future birthday celebrations.

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Noting that he would be 99 at the king’s 70th and nearly 110 at his 80th, Obasanjo playfully asked to be excused from the latter milestone.

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“I’m here celebrating your 60th birthday. I’ll join you for your 70th birthday in 10 years, but for your 80th birthday, which is 20 years from now, ẹ yonda mi (you’ll excuse me); you’ll celebrate that one the way it pleases you,” Obasanjo said.

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The remarks drew laughter from dignitaries, traditional rulers, and guests gathered to honour Oba Obalanlege on his diamond jubilee.

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PUNCH Online earlier reported that at the event, Fuji legend King Wasiu Ayinde, popularly called legend K1 De Ultimate, prostrated fully to Obasanjo as he came on stage, in a moment that captured traditional Yoruba respect and cultural display.n

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Watch the video below:

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𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟕𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐚’𝐬 𝟖𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

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“I’m here celebrating your 60th birthday. I’ll join you for your 70th birthday in 10 years, but for your 80th…

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— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch)

n August 29, 2026n

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