Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed in his autobiography My Watch that he had no prior knowledge of his late wife Stella Obasanjo’s decision to undergo a cosmetic procedure that ultimately led to her d3ath.
Stella Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s First Lady from 1999 until her passing, d!ed on October 23, 2005, at the age of 59.
She suffered fatal complications following an elective tummy tuck (liposuction) procedure performed at a private clinic in Puerto Banús, Marbella, Spain. The surgery had been scheduled in preparation for her 60th birthday celebrations the following month.
In Volume Two of My Watch, published in 2014, Obasanjo wrote on page 240: “After the internment, I decided to look into the circumstances of her d3ath. I found that part of her 60th birthday anniversary, which was unknown to me, was her operation for her tummy and her shape.”
The former president explained that he only learned the full details after her burial. He attributed her d3ath to the surgeon’s carelessness and took steps to seek accountability. With assistance from the Nigerian Embassy in Spain, he pushed for prosecution of the doctor and the clinic.
“I instructed that the doctor and the clinic be prosecuted. The lost life cannot be brought back but the successful prosecution would prevent carelessness and loss of life in the future,” Obasanjo stated in the book.
Court records confirm that the surgeon, identified in proceedings only by the initials “AM,” was convicted in September 2009 of causing homicide through negligence.
He received a one-year prison sentence, a three-year suspension of his medical licence, and was ordered to pay €120,000 in compensation to Stella’s only child, Olumuyiwa (Olu) Obasanjo. The compensation was collected by her son.
Obasanjo also used the book to reject persistent rumours that circulated at the time, claiming he had somehow caused or “sacrificed” his wife’s d3ath for political or personal success in office.
“Before the verdict in Spain, I was unaware of what I came to hear later that I might have caused the d3ath of my wife to sacrifice her for success in my job. That is how wicked and satanic some Nigerians can be in their rumours and mischief,” he wrote.
Medical details from the Spanish investigation showed that a tube intended for the liposuction procedure was mistakenly inserted into Stella’s abdominal cavity, resulting in a punctured colon and lacerated liver. She d!ed two days after the operation.
The revelations from My Watch remain one of the most detailed personal accounts Obasanjo has given about the circumstances surrounding his wife’s d3ath.
In recent years, including a memorial service held to mark the 20th anniversary of her passing, the former president and family members have continued to honour her memory, describing her as a woman who lived a life of service.
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