- Obasanjo said he knew the former Prime Minister from the 1990s when he invited him to honour his father Jaramogi Oginga in Kisumu.
- After the Kenyan trip, he said, the visit landed him in trouble in his country as he was accused of planning a coup.
Image: RAILA ODINGA/ X
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo detailed events that landed him in jail due to a visit to Kenya.
Obasanjo said the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's invitation to Kenya landed him in jail when he returned to his country.
While speaking during the unveiling of Raila's African Union Commission chairmanship candidature at State House, Obasanjo praised Raila, saying he has known him for a long time.
Obasanjo said he knew the former Prime Minister from the 1990s when he invited him to honour his father Jaramogi Oginga in Kisumu.
"Knowing you has been a blessing because knowing you as far back as the beginning of the 1990s made me come here in 1995 to Kisumu, where we were yesterday," Obasanjo said.
After the Kenyan trip, he said, the visit landed him in trouble in his country as he was accused of planning a coup.
"At the beginning of the 1990s, you made me come to Kisumu in Kenya in 1995, and I was part of that last honour we did to Jaramogi Odinga. When I returned home to Nigeria, I was accused of coming to Kenya to join the opposition to topple the government of Kenya. And I was also accused of planning a coup in Nigeria that landed me in prison,” he said.
However, Obasanjo explained that going to prison was a blessing in disguise, as it may have necessitated his presidency.
“So your invitation for me to come to Kenya in 1995, and my not keeping my mouth shut when I got back home landed me in jail. So knowing you have been a blessing because if I hadn’t gone to jail, maybe I wouldn’t have been the President of Nigeria,” he added.
The former Nigerian President exuded confidence that Raila will transform Africa if he wins the African Union Commission chairperson seat.
Obasanjo said he was confident Raila will steer Africa to greater heights.
“He will make Africa proud, he will make Africa powerful, he will make Africa peaceful, and he will make Africa prosperous. We need it all and you can count on us for support, and you have seen,” he said.
Obasanjo was quick to point out that the seat means extra responsibility for Raila and leaders who backed his candidature.
“If we support you and you get there, we have the responsibility to make sure you succeed. We will do our part, we pray to God that you do your part,” he added.
He was also quick to point out that Raila’s candidature is getting so much support at home.
“He is not only a candidate for Kenya but the East African community,” he stated.
Obasanjo added that Africa needs Raila’s leadership at this critical stage of development in the continent when the world is riddled with wars and conflict.
“A war is going on in Europe, and we are suffering from hunger in Africa. We are wallowing in poverty, and we cannot get out of this unless we put our house in order as countries in Africa and as collectively a continent,” he explained.