Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday, revealed that a test conducted on him once showed that he tested positive for COVID-19.
The former president said he became relieved 72-hours after when another test conducted on him came out negative.
He made the revelation in his remarks during an international colloquium with the topic “Reflections on Governance and Changes for Post Pandemic Leadership in Africa” organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) and Africa Progress Group to mark his 84th birthday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He told the gathering that he was a bit skeptical to inform his daughter, Dr (Mrs) Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, about the result of the test.
Obasanjo said another round of test was conducted on him three days after he was declared positive based on the instruction of his daughter that the result of the first test might be faulty.
According to him, subsequent tests 72 hours later certified him negative to the coronavirus.
He, therefore, admonished people not to entertain fear coming close to him on his special day because he had tested negative thrice.
Obasanjo noted that God had been kind to Nigeria in particular and Africa in Nigeria since coronavirus case was discovered last year in the country.
“If the coronavirus had come in the manner of Ebola in Africa with its devastation, no amount of social or physical distancing would have saved the continent.
“I wondered how much social distancing requirement would have been able to accomplish in Mushin, Lagos, where eight people live in one room or Ajegunle, also in Lagos, where no fewer than 10 people occupy 12 by 12 room.
“I know that many have attributed genetics, heat and peculiar food as some of the factors that had made it impossible for the disease to wreak havoc on lives in Africa. In all, God’s finger could not be ruled out.”
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