When Olusegun Obasanjo walked out of prison in June 1998, he was returning to a country that had changed significantly during his years in detention. He had been imprisoned under the military government of General Sani Abacha and had faced the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars. Although his release brought an end to years of uncertainty, he later disclosed that he had little money available to support himself and his family.
In July 2017, Obasanjo publicly recounted how he struggled to pay his children’s university fees after his release. He explained that American businessman Ted Turner and the Ford Foundation provided financial assistance that helped him settle outstanding expenses. His account offered a personal glimpse into the difficulties he experienced after one of the most difficult periods of his life.
Obasanjo’s Arrest Under General Sani Abacha
Obasanjo’s imprisonment began during one of the most turbulent periods of Nigeria’s military history. Following the death of General Sani Abacha’s predecessor, General Ibrahim Babangida’s successor, the military government under Abacha tightened its control over the country. Political opposition and criticism of the government attracted serious consequences.
In March 1995, Obasanjo was arrested alongside several other individuals accused of participating in an alleged plot to overthrow Abacha’s government. Among those detained was his former deputy, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Both men were subsequently tried by a military tribunal.
The proceedings attracted widespread criticism from human rights organisations and international observers. Obasanjo maintained his innocence, while supporters and international campaigners questioned the fairness of the trial.
In July 1995, the tribunal sentenced Obasanjo to life imprisonment. Yar’Adua and other defendants also received severe sentences. The convictions became part of the wider controversy surrounding Abacha’s treatment of political opponents.
Obasanjo was held in different detention facilities during his imprisonment, including Kirikiri Prison in Lagos, Jos Prison and Yola Prison. His detention separated him from his family and disrupted his personal and professional activities.
The years in prison also affected his ability to provide for his children, some of whom were studying in the United States. Their education became one of the major concerns he later discussed when reflecting on his release.
The Death of Abacha and Obasanjo’s Release
General Sani Abacha died suddenly on 8 June 1998. His death brought an unexpected change to Nigeria’s political situation and created an opportunity for the release of several prominent detainees.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha as head of state, began taking steps towards a political transition and the release of prisoners held under the previous administration.
On 16 June 1998, Obasanjo was released from detention. His freedom was welcomed by international organisations and individuals who had campaigned for his release.
Transparency International, whose Advisory Council Obasanjo had chaired, publicly welcomed the development. The organisation had supported efforts to secure his freedom and had criticised the circumstances surrounding his imprisonment.
Although his release ended more than three years of detention, Obasanjo later explained that he faced another challenge when he returned to civilian life. He had little money available, and the financial consequences of his imprisonment had affected his family.
Leaving Prison Without Money
During a programme organised by Christ the Redeemer’s Friends International (CRFI), an organisation associated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Obasanjo recounted his financial condition after leaving prison.
The event took place in Lagos in July 2017, when he shared memories of his imprisonment and the circumstances surrounding his release.
According to Obasanjo, he had almost no money when he regained his freedom. His children were studying in the United States, but the prolonged interruption to his financial affairs had made it difficult to meet their educational expenses.
He explained that one of his children had been unable to continue studying because the tuition fees had not been paid. The situation troubled him because he wanted to reunite with his family and encourage his children after the long separation.
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Obasanjo said he decided to travel to the United States shortly after returning home. He had two main reasons for the trip. First, he wanted to see his children, whom he had not been able to visit during his imprisonment. Second, he wanted to thank the people who had worked to secure his release.
He recalled that the financial situation was particularly difficult because he could not comfortably provide for his children’s tuition and upkeep.
In his account, he explained that he wanted to encourage them despite having very little money available. His journey was therefore not simply a family visit. It was also an opportunity to reconnect with people who had supported him during his detention.
The Presidential Aircraft Provided for His Journey
One of the experiences Obasanjo recalled was the treatment he received from the Nigerian government immediately after his release.
He said he had been surprised to discover that a presidential aircraft was waiting to transport him after he left Yola Prison. He had expected to return to a quieter and more private life, but the arrangements made for him were different from what he anticipated.
According to his account, the government provided an aircraft for his journey to the United States. He also recalled that vehicles and security arrangements were available when he arrived in Lagos.
The sudden change in his circumstances made a strong impression on him. Having spent years in detention under a government that had treated him as an alleged coup plotter, he found the arrangements following his release unexpected.
Obasanjo interpreted the change through his religious beliefs, describing it as an indication of God’s intervention in his life.
His account also reflected the political transition taking place under Abdulsalami Abubakar. The new military administration was attempting to move Nigeria towards civilian government, and the release of prominent political detainees formed part of that process.
Jimmy Carter and Ted Turner’s Support
During his visit to the United States, Obasanjo met former American president Jimmy Carter and businessman Ted Turner. Both men had been involved in efforts to secure his release from detention.
Carter, who served as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, had a long record of involvement in international human rights and democracy initiatives after leaving office. His engagement with African political issues helped bring attention to the detention of prominent Nigerians under Abacha.
Ted Turner, the American media entrepreneur who founded CNN, was also a personal friend of Obasanjo. According to Obasanjo, Turner had made efforts to support the campaign for his freedom.
When Obasanjo visited Carter after his release, the former American president welcomed him and asked whether he had already seen Turner. Carter reportedly explained that Turner had been asking about him and encouraged him to visit his friend before returning to Nigeria.
Obasanjo said Carter also reminded him of the role Turner had played in efforts to secure his release.
After leaving Carter, he visited Turner. Their meeting became particularly significant because of the financial assistance Turner offered.
How Ted Turner Gave Him $100,000
During their conversation, Turner asked Obasanjo whether he needed money. Obasanjo explained that he had recently left prison and had little financial support available.
Turner initially instructed his secretary to give him $50,000. However, Obasanjo said he did not appear particularly pleased with the amount.
When Turner asked why he seemed unhappy, Obasanjo explained that the money would not be enough to address the financial difficulties he faced after his imprisonment.
According to Obasanjo’s recollection, Turner responded by asking his secretary to add another $50,000.
The additional amount brought the assistance from Turner to $100,000.
Obasanjo said the money provided considerable relief, particularly because he needed to settle his children’s outstanding university fees and other expenses.
The assistance was especially meaningful because it came at a time when he was trying to restore his family life after years of separation.
The Ford Foundation’s Additional $50,000
After visiting Turner, Obasanjo also went to the Ford Foundation in New York. Before his imprisonment, he had served as the only African member of the foundation’s Board of Trustees.
He explained that he wanted to reconnect with the organisation and appreciate the support it had provided during his difficult years.
During the visit, members of the foundation asked whether he had checked his bank account. Obasanjo initially saw little reason to do so because he believed he had no money available.
However, he was encouraged to examine the account.
To his surprise, he discovered that the Ford Foundation had continued paying him honoraria associated with his position and participation in its activities. The payments had accumulated while he was in prison, leaving a balance of approximately $50,000.
When added to the $100,000 he received from Turner, the amount brought the financial assistance and funds he discovered during the visit to $150,000.
Obasanjo said the money enabled him to settle his children’s outstanding tuition fees and address other financial obligations.
The discovery also gave him an opportunity to reunite with his children without the immediate pressure of unpaid educational expenses.
Reuniting With His Children
One of Obasanjo’s main reasons for travelling to the United States was to see his children after a prolonged separation.
He explained that the imprisonment had created uncertainty for the family. His children had continued their education, but the interruption to financial support had placed their studies at risk.
One of them had reportedly been prevented from continuing because the required tuition had not been paid.
After receiving the financial assistance, Obasanjo was able to settle the outstanding fees and address other needs. He recalled how happy his children were to see him again.
He also used the opportunity to encourage them and share the experiences of his imprisonment. His message to them centred on perseverance and faith, particularly in the face of difficult circumstances.
For Obasanjo, the visit was an important step towards restoring the family relationship that years of detention had interrupted.
From Prisoner to Presidential Candidate
Obasanjo’s release in 1998 eventually led to another unexpected development: his return to national politics.
Although he initially intended to live quietly after prison, pressure gradually mounted on him to contest the 1999 presidential election.
Political leaders from different parts of Nigeria reportedly encouraged him to participate in the transition to civilian government. His previous experience as military head of state from 1976 to 1979, combined with his international profile and recent imprisonment, made him a prominent figure in the political discussions surrounding the transition.
Obasanjo later disclosed that he travelled to South Africa to seek advice from two respected African figures: former president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Mandela encouraged him to follow his own judgement, while Tutu reportedly urged him to accept the responsibility if Nigerians wanted him to serve.
Obasanjo eventually accepted the presidential nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won the 1999 presidential election and was inaugurated on 29 May 1999, bringing an end to years of military rule.
He was re-elected in 2003 and served as Nigeria’s civilian president until 2007.
His journey from imprisonment to the presidency became one of the defining political developments of Nigeria’s transition from military government to the Fourth Republic.
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Conclusion
Olusegun Obasanjo’s account of leaving prison without money in 1998 reveals a personal dimension of his experience under General Sani Abacha’s government. Beyond the political controversy surrounding his arrest and detention, he faced the practical difficulties of rebuilding his life and supporting his family after his release.
His recollections of receiving $100,000 from Ted Turner and discovering another $50,000 in his Ford Foundation account illustrate the importance of international relationships and personal support during that period.
Within a year of regaining his freedom, Obasanjo had become Nigeria’s elected president. His journey from prisoner to head of state remains a significant chapter in the country’s political history.
Author’s Note
Obasanjo’s account offers a personal perspective on the financial and family difficulties that followed his release from detention in 1998.
References
Gboyega Akinsanmi, “Obasanjo: I Left Prison Broke in 1998,” THISDAY, 16 July 2017.
“Olusegun Obasanjo Is Freed from Prison,” Transparency International, 16 June 1998.
“The Review of Human Rights Development in Nigeria during the Last 17 Months,” United States Congressional Record, 1999.
The Sun Nigeria, “Ted Turner, Ford Foundation Gave Me $150k After My Release from Prison – Obasanjo,” 17 July 2017.
