Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has questioned why people identify individuals based on their place of birth.

Obasanjo stated that he values himself as a Nigerian first before any tribe. He mentioned that his Nigerian identity is more important than his Yoruba identity.

He emphasised that he would never use the term “Yoruba Nation” to describe himself.

“I’ve never used Yoruba Nation and I never will, because I believe that my Nigerianness is bigger than my Yorubaness. Neither my Yorubaness nor my Nigerianness should stand in the way of each other. For me, my Nigerianness is very important because I am more than what I should have been as a Nigerian than as an Oduduwa republic man. I believe that should be the case for everyone of us.”

The former president advised that one’s place of birth should not be a barrier for anyone.

“Why should the accident of my place of birth be a hindrance? For me as a human being first of all and for me as a Nigerian. If I had been born in Sokoto, the chances are probably 99 to 1, I would’ve been a Muslim. If the Sultan had been born in Abeokuta, the chances would be 55 to 45 that he would be a Christian. So, what has brought a change or what I have brought, what it is, or what I am, is where I was born, by whom, I was born and maybe when I was born. Why should that be a deciding factor for me as a human being.”