Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo,
GCFR (; ; born circa 5 March 1937) is a former
Nigerian Army general who was
President of
Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. A Nigerian of
Yoruba descent, Obasanjo was a career soldier before serving twice as his nation's head of state, as a military ruler from 13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979 and as a democratically elected president from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. From July 2004 to January 2006, Obasanjo also served as
Chairperson of the African Union.