Gbenga Obasanjo

A Lagos court has rejected an application to prevent journalists from covering proceedings of a suit by Gbenga, the first son of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing his father of sleeping with his wife.  

Gbenga’s wife, Mojisola Obasanjo, had gone to court seeking secret trial of a divorce suit instituted against her husband. The court has now ruled that it will commence an open trial on 4th June, 2008.  

The court ruling comes as the family of the former president has been confronted with all forms of allegations.  

The judge in her ruling said the application by Mojisola Obasanjo to prevent an open court trial of the suit amounts to a breach of the constitutional rights of journalists to report the court’s proceedings. She however ruled against publications or reports bothering on the paternity of Mojisola’s two children whom she claimed were suffering psychological problems due to sensational reports about her divorce suit.  

Mojisola Obasanjo

The judge said the court’s position is to ensure the protection of the rights of the two under-aged children in line with the country’s child rights law.  

Mojisola Obasanjo had in a 17-paragraph affidavit prayed the court not to hear her divorce suit in secret to prevent the journalists from sensational reports about her family.  

Mojisola is demanding a divorce over allegations that her husband, Gbenga, who is the first son of former president Olusegun Obasanjo , had been violent to her.  

Gbenga Obasanjo had in a counter affidavit asked a Lagos high court to dissolve the marriage with his wife, Mojisola, because he doubts the paternity of his two children.  

Gbenga Obasanjo had alleged that his father slept with his wife and rewarded her with juicy contracts while he served as the president of Nigeria.  

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Nigeria ’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo has not made any public statement in response to the allegations by his first son since the divorce suit was reported in the local press in January, 2008.  

Former president Obasanjo’s administration has come under serious probe by the nation’s parliament for its role in the nation’s non-functional power and energy sectors.  

Civil society groups have also been calling for a full-scale probe of his administration over allegations of corrupt enrichment while in office.  

His first daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo has been accused by Nigeria ’s anti corruption agency, the economic and financial crimes commission of receiving $85,000 illegally from health ministry officials.  

The former president has also been accused of illegally acquiring government land without following laid down procedures.