FACT CHECK: Viral Video Of Obasanjo Meeting President Tinubu At Alake’s 80th Birthday Is Fake
- Sodiq Lawal
A viral video on social media has claimed that the former President Olusegun Obasanjo met with President Bola Tinubu at the 80th birthday reception of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo on Thursday.
A video clip on a TikTok social media platform with “@asiwajuwoldwidef” as profile name of the account was posted to falsely claimed that Tinubu and Obasanjo met on Thursday.
The video clip which went viral on different social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, X and TikTok is with the titled “Politics Apart, Life Must Go On..Remember, There Is No Permanent Friend But Permanent Interest.. Happening Today At The 80th Birthday Ceremony Of ALAKE OF EGBALAND .”
Verdict And Verification
OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively confirmed that the viral video happened in 2022 and didn’t occurred during the 80th Birtday ceremony of Alake.
It was gathered that the viral 2022 video occurred when Tinubu consulted Obasanjo about his presidential ambition when he visited him at his residence in Abeokuta.
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Meanwhile, In a statement by Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obadanjo condemned the fake post, which also lifted a banter conversation that took place between the two, when he played host to the former Lagos State governor last year before the country’s general elections this year.
Akinyemi stated that the former President, who is now in South Africa for the burial of his friend and brother, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi holding today, said the architect of the fake disjointed and sicken post should rather look elsewhere for the work he/she is looking for and not through him.
According to Obasanjo, “one, I have not seen Bola Tinubu since he visited me in my house in Abeokuta, when he was campaigning. Secondly, I was at the church and not the reception for Alake’s 80th birthday reception.”
“To put the content of the video in proper perspective, it happened that during Tinubu’s visit to his house last year, he met the former President playing his favorite traditional game (ayo) and he started the banter, jokingly telling the former President that, he was shocked to see him playing the ‘ayo’ game at that time of the day.
“Spontaneously, as he was getting up from his chair to welcome him and other accompanying visitors, Obasanjo responded: “when I don’t have job. If you are ready to give me job, I am ready to do it.”
“Shortly after, Tinubu was heard praying for longevity on Obasanjo’s life, as they both walked into the sitting room with others.
“This is however contrary to the meaning the viral video is putting out as Obasanjo says, “I am not looking for work and I am not working with anyone as the fake news puts out. Those who are looking for people to work with Bola Tinubu should look outside Obasanjo,” he declared.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
