Olusegun Obasanjo: Former Nigerian President who stuck with Raila to the end

Former president of Nigeria Oluṣẹgun Ọbasanjọ, a bosom friend of the late political firebrand Raila Amolo Odinga, has shown his loyalty to the end.

When thousands of mourners gathered in Bondo for Raila's send-off on Sunday, Obasanjo stood out as the senior-most foreign delegate in attendance. 

Ọbasanjọ has been instrumental in Odinga's political journey since 1995, when he came to Kenya for the first anniversary of the nation's first Vice President and Raila's father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Raila had invited him to grace the ceremony while also witnessing the opening of Jaramogi's mausoleum at Kang'o ka Jaramogi, in Bondo, Siaya County.

His visit, however, came at a cost - serving three years in prison - as he was charged in Nigeria for attempting to collude with the Kenyan opposition to topple the ruling administration.

"I returned to Nigeria and was charged with treason, with claims that I wanted to topple the government of Kenya because I went to the funeral of the leader of the opposition," Ọbasanjọ said during a past event in Kenya.

"Second was that I was planning a coup in Nigeria, and I was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison."

At the time of his imprisonment, Ọbasanjọ was a four-star General and an ex-President.

After his release in 1998, he vied for the Presidency in 1999 and won by a landslide.

His bromance with Odinga remained firm over the years, even through the five unsuccessful stabs at power in Kenya's electoral cycles.

He was even sent by the United Nations in 2018 to broker a deal between Odinga and ex-president Uhuru Kenyatta. Odinga, under the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, disputed the 2017 election results and threatened to swear himself in as the people's president.

Ọbasanjọ met Raila and other NASA principals and attempted to persuade them to drop the swearing-in ceremony planned for January 30.

Uhuru later made a truce with Odinga under the infamous handshake to effect political harmony.

The former Nigerian president also presided over the launch of Odinga’s autobiography, The Flame of Freedom, which chronicled the life and times of Odinga from his early childhood until he was Prime Minister.

“Those of us in Africa need to learn to appreciate what our leaders have gone through, whether in politics, in business or whatever other field,” said Obasanjo, who wrote the book’s foreword.

His last visit to Kenya was in February 15, 2024, to support Odinga as he announced his candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, which he lost to Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

And when he came to Kenya on October 19, to witness his long-time friend, Papa, as referred to by Ida Odinga, praised the late premier for his astute fight for democracy and a better Africa.

"One thing that you could not take away from Raila was his passionate love for his country and Africa, and that is what made our relationship grow from strength to strength," he said at the funeral service held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST).

The Former Prime Minister was given a 17-gun salute as he was laid to rest at their family home in Bondo, Siaya County.

His remains were lowered into the grave a few minutes to 5 p.m. in a private ceremony only attended by members of his family, top government dignitaries, and guests from the burial ceremony held at JOOUST.

He was buried next to his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and his mother, Mary Ajuma's graves at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, which was opened in Ọbasanjọ's presence 30 years ago.

Military officials handed over a Kenyan flag to Odinga’s widow, Ida, in honour of her late husband’s service to the country.

As Kenyans celebrate Odinga, the end of his era has sparked jitters in the nation's politics since he had influenced the political landscape for over three decades.