Iyabo Obasanjo is a prominent Nigerian epidemiologist, academic, and former senator noted for her public health advocacy and political involvement. Daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, she has navigated veterinary medicine, legislative roles, and U.S.-based scholarship amid notable public scrutiny.
Profile Summary
| Full name | Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello |
| Date of birth | April 27, 1967 |
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| State of Origin | Ogun State |
| Partner | Oluwafolajimi Akeem Bello (divorced 2003) |
| Children | Jimi Bello (b. 2000) |
| Occupation | Epidemiologist, academic, former senator |
| Net worth | $5-10 million |
Early Life and Education
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was born on April 27, 1967, to the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and mother, Oluremi Obasanjo
Iyabo studied at Corona School in Lagos, Capital School in Kaduna, and Queen’s College in Lagos.
She secured a veterinary medicine degree from the University of Ibadan in 1988, a master’s in epidemiology from the University of California, Davis in 1990, and a PhD from Cornell University in 1994. These elite qualifications propelled her toward addressing global health issues.
Career
Her public service started as Ogun State Commissioner for Health, improving healthcare access, before winning the 2007 Senate seat for Ogun Central via the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Leading the Senate Health Committee, she advanced maternal health, immunization drives, hospital budgets, and served on panels for Security & Intelligence, Science & Technology, Education, National Planning, Land Transport, and Inter-Parliamentary relations.
Post-2011 election loss to ACN’s Olugbenga Obadara (102,389 to 56,312 votes), she shifted to U.S. roles, including a Clinical Research Center position pre-2003, Harvard’s 2013 Advanced Leadership Initiative fellowship, and now Assistant Professor at William & Mary’s College of Health Professions, specializing in health governance, zoonotics, and policy.
She recently registered with APC in Ogun State for potential 2027 involvement.
Controversies
Iyabo’s career drew EFCC scrutiny in 2009 over alleged corruption, ultimately dismissed by authorities. An Abia State panel indicted her, but courts overturned it.
She survived a 2003 assassination attempt on Ifo Road where aides perished, though she was absent from the targeted vehicle. A public 2014 open letter to her father criticized his leadership, sparking family and media debates.
Personal Life
Married to Oluwafolajimi Akeem Bello in 1999, they divorced in 2003; their son Jimi Bello arrived on January 1, 2000, in North Carolina. She prioritizes privacy now, residing in Williamsburg, Virginia, with selective Nigerian engagements. No new relationships appear documented.
Net Worth
Iyabo Obasanjo’s net worth is estimated at $5-10 million, sourced from Senate salaries, consulting gigs, academic pay, and inherited resources. These stem from her governmental tenures, U.S. teaching role, and health sector contributions, despite limited official financial records.
