Our People

Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President of Nigeria; Chairman and Advisory Board Member Emeritus, The Brenthurst Foundation

Member of The Brenthurst Foundation's Advisory Board

Nigeria

President Olusegun Obasanjo is the former President of the Republic of Nigeria. He is an international statesman with a passion for conflict resolution and mediation. In 2008 he was appointed by the United Nations as a special envoy for Africa and has since overseen democratic elections on behalf of the African Union and Ecowas in countries across the continent.

President Obasanjo had a distinguished military career, was a member of the 1957 UN Peace Keeping Mission to Congo, and received the instrument of surrender on behalf the Nigerian Government from the opposing forces in the Nigerian Civil War that lasted from 1967 to 1970. He rose to the rank of full General and became the Nigerian Head of State on the assassination of the then Military Head of State in 1976. He handed over to a democratically elected government in 1979. He was later jailed for his pro-democracy views for three and a half years. On release, he was democratically elected President in 1999 and served two terms. He is the author of over 30 books covering a variety of topics.

He was chairman of The Brenthurst Foundation Advisory Board until June 2023 and continues to be an emeritus member of the board.