Yemi Osinbajo's biography: all we know about Nigeria's former Vice President
Yemi Osinbajo is one of the most celebrated politicians in the country and Africa. As a professional lawyer, he has been at the forefront of improving Nigeria's legal system through numerous publications. Yemi served as the 14th vice president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Yemi Osinbajo has managed to attract people's attention throughout his legal and political career thanks to his strict and straightforward modus operandi. Despite his wide media presence, most people do not know more details about him. His biography here seeks to give an insight into who he is.
Profile summary
| Real name | Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo |
| Famous as | Yemi Osinbajo |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 8 March 1957 |
| Age | 66 years (as of 2023) |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Current residence | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Father | Opeoluwa Osinbajo1 |
| Mother | Olubisi Osinbajo |
| Siblings | 4 |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouce | Dolapo Osinbajo |
| Children | 3 |
| School | Corona Primary School |
| University | University of Lagos, Nigerian Law School, and the London School of Economics |
| Profession | Politician, lawyer, and pastor |
| Net worth | $22 million |
| Professor Yemi Osinbajo | |
| @profosinbajo | |
| X (formerly Twitter) | @ProfOsinbajo |
Yemi Osinbajo's biography
Yemi Osinbajo was born as Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo on 1957. He was born to Opeoluwa and Olubusi Osinbajo. Yemi's father, Opeoluwa, was an engineer, while his mother was a school teacher. He was raised alongside four siblings.
How old is Yemi Osinbajo?
As of 2023, Yemi Osinbajo's age is 66 years. He was born under the Pisces zodiac sign and celebrates his birthday on 8 March.
Where is Yemi Osinbajo from?
The former vice president was born at the Creek Hospital in Lagos, Western region of Nigeria. Yemi Osinbajo's state of origin is Lagos State.
Yemi Osinbajo's education background
Yemi received his primary education at Corona School, Lagos, and his secondary education at Igbobi College Yaba. Upon graduating, he studied law at the University of Lagos between 1975 and 1978. He furthered his education at the Nigerian Law School in 1981 and later joined the London School of Economics.
Source: Getty Images
Career
Professor Yemi Osinbajo has enjoyed illustrious careers in the legal profession and politics. He is also a pastor. Below is how well he has faired in these professions.
In the legal field
Between 1979 and 1980, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo served compulsory Nigerian youth service in Bendel state. Afterwards, he returned to pursuing his law education and was employed as a Law lecturer at the University of Lagos. It later became his primary career.
He started lecturing law at the age of 23 years. In 1983, he was made a Senior Lecturer of Law. Five years later, Yemi became a legal adviser of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General - Bola Ajibola.
In 1997, Osinbajo became a Professor of Law and Head of the Public Law Department at the University of Lagos. From 1999, he had such high positions as Member of Cabinet, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Attorney General, and Commissioner for Justice, to name a few.
In 2007, Professor Yemi Osinbajo came back to the University of Lagos to give lectures in law. Aside from being a lecturer, he was also a businessman and an author. He produced numerous law-themed publications on various aspects of the Law.
He is a member of the following professional bodies:
- Nigerian Bar Association
- International Bar Association
- Nigerian Body of Benchers
- Council of Legal Education in Nigeria and Senior Advocate of Nigeria
Involvement in politics
Prof Yemi Osinbajo decided to try his hand at politics, which resulted in success. In 2013, he received a task alongside other outstanding Nigerian delegates to prepare a manifesto for their political party - All Progressive Congress.
Source: Getty Images
They came up with a presentation called the Roadmap to a New Nigeria. It included a plan for free meals at school and financial support for over 25 million poor Nigerians who have to educate their children. The manifesto won the hearts of many Nigerians.
In 2014, Yemi Osinbajo became the running mate of a presidential candidate - Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2015 election. Buhari eventually won the said election, and Yemi Osinbajo became his vice. The official ceremony of swearing-in took place in May 2015.
Yemi Osinbajo entered the office after officially taking an oath at the Eagle Square Abuja. The pair was re-elected in 2019.
As a religious man
Apart from being a professor and a politician, he is also a prominent religious leader. He is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Lagos province 48. Many people assumed he left this position after being elected as Vice President of Nigeria.
However, Yemi insisted that he still is the pastor of the church. He said he is on loan to the Federal Government of Nigeria but never quit his pastor-in-charge position.
Awards and achievements
Prof Yemi Osinbajo has received numerous awards. Below are some of the most notable ones so far:
| Year | Award |
| 1971 | State Merit Award |
| 1972 | School Prize for English Oratory |
| 1973 | Elias Prize for Best Performance in History (WASC) |
| 1975 | School Prize for Literature |
| 1974 | African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker's Prize, 1974 |
| 2015 | President Goodluck Jonathan conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger. |
How much is Yemi Osinbajo's net worth?
According to Naija Net Worth, Yemi Osinbajo's net worth is approximately $22 million. He has amassed through his diverse career pursuits and entrepreneurial ventures.
His net worth has afforded him a luxurious lifestyle. According to a Forbes article published in 2015, the Vice President owned a 4-bedroom residence in Victoria Garden City, Lagos, and a three-bedroom flat in Ikoyi, Lagos's highbrow area.
He also had a 2-bedroom apartment along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and a 2-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England. At the time, he also had roughly $1.5 million in cash currently deposited in Nigerian banks.
Yemi Osinbajo's family
Yemi Osinbajo is happily married to Dolapo Soyode-Osinbajo. His wife is the granddaughter of the Nigerian nationalist Obafemi Awolowo. Her grandfather was a leader of the Nigerian independence movement. The couple got married on 25 October 1989. They are both ministers in the church.
How many children does Yemi Osinbajo have?
Yemi and his wife have three grown children: two daughters and a son. The names of his two daughters are Kiki and Kanyinsola, while that of his son is Fiyinfoluwa.
His daughter Kiki is a great fashion fan and a popular model on Instagram. Like her father, she graduated from the University of Lagos. She founded a charity organization that supports widowed women and poor children.
Kanyinsola, on the other hand, is also well-educated. She has a master's degree in Liberal Studies. As for the son, Fiyinfoluwa had his education in England and aspired to be a photographer.
Yemi Osinbajo's surgery
In 2022, Yemi Osinbajo underwent a surgical procedure at the Duchess International Hospital in Ikeja, Lagos, to address a stress fracture in his right leg. He remembered speaking highly of the hospital's facilities when it opened.
Source: Getty Images
Osinbajo further revealed that he had his orthopaedic surgery at one of the Duchess Hospital's facilities and spent an entire week recovering there. He described it as one of the most comfortable hospital stays he had ever experienced, comparing it to top-notch accommodations anywhere in the world.
Who is the first Vice President of Nigeria?
Brigadier Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe was the first vice president of Nigeria from January 1966 to August 1966. He returned to Nigeria to serve as the Chief of Staff (de facto Vice President).
Who is Nigeria’s current Vice President?
Kashim Shettima Mustapha is the current 15th Vice president of Nigeria. He was nominated for senate in 2023 but withdrew to become Bola Tinubu's running mate.
Where does the Vice President of Nigeria live?
Kashim Shettima Mustapha resides in Akinola Aguda House. After completion on 12 December 1991, the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, the Aguda House, became the Vice Presidential Complex.
Quick facts about Yemi Osinbajo
- He is a member of the All Progressives Congress.
- Yemi's helicopter crashed on 2 February 2019 in Kabba, Kogi State.
- President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him to chair an economic sustainability committee.
Yemi Osinbajo is an influential political figure and an educated law Professor. He is also a pastor, husband, and father of three children. As a dedicated leader, he has won the hearts of many people.
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