12 Facts About Stella Obasanjo

Stella Obasanjo was the First Lady of Nigeria from 1999 until her death.

Stella Obasanjo was the wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, although she was not the First Lady in 1976, when Obasanjo was military head of state.

Stella Obasanjo was a political activist in her own right, supporting causes such as women's liberation, youth as leaders of tomorrow, and the rehabilitation of a war-torn Nigeria.

Stella Obasanjo began her education at Our Lady of the Apostles Primary School.

Stella Obasanjo enrolled at St Theresa's College, where she obtained her West African School Certificate in 1964 with grade one.

Stella Obasanjo was admitted to the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, for a bachelor's degree in English, attending from 1967 to 1969.

Stella Obasanjo completed her education with a certificate as confidential secretary from Pitman College in 1976.

Stella Obasanjo married General Obasanjo with whom she had one son; Olumuyiwa Obasanjo born in 1977.

Olusegun Stella Obasanjo had just become Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, following the assassination of General Muritala Mohammed.

Stella Obasanjo's arrest was prompted by an article the previous week about her, headlined "Greedy Stella".

Stella Obasanjo died at age 59 from complications of cosmetic surgery at a private health clinic in Puerto Banus, Marbella, Spain, on 23 October 2005.

Stella Obasanjo sustained a punctured colon and lacerated liver and died two days after the surgery.