The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Bondo Diocese Bishop Revered David Hillington Kodia has revealed that the late Raila Odinga was once denied baptism by a white priest because of his name.
Speaking on Sunday, October 19, during the funeral service of Raila in Bondo, Siaya County, Kodia disclosed that a white priest refused to baptize the former Prime Minister because he did not have a Christian name.
Bishop Kodia noted that it took the intervention of the Archbishop of Canterbury for Raila to be baptized in ACK.
“I want to tell the whole world, Raila was a faithful member of the Anglican Church. He was baptized under controversial circumstances. A white priest refused to baptize him because his father chose the name Raila Amolo Odinga instead of John or David or something else.
“Due to the intervention from the archbishop of Canterbury, Raila was baptized in the Anglican church,” Kodia recounted.
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The Bondo ACK Bishop also disclosed that it took Raila a long time before he was confirmed as a full member of the church.
Kodia noted that the ODM leader was confirmed when he visited former Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby.
“Before he died, it took him long before he was confirmed. He went to Canterbury and paid a visit to archbishop Justin Welby, and he was confirmed as a full member of the Anglican church and given the rights to take the holy communion,” Kodia added.
Further, Bishop Kodia said Raila was a faithful member of the Bondo Diocese and Nyamira parish, adding that his death is a great loss for the ACK church.
“Raila Odinga was a faithful member of this diocese and was also a member of the Nyamira Parish; even that church is feeling the great loss because of the enormous presence of Raila’s family in that church, which now is going to be minus one,” he stated.
The former premier’s funeral is underway with President William Ruto and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta in attendance.
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and ranking government officials, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, governors, senators, and other elected political leaders, are also present.
Raila will be laid to rest at the Kang'o Kajaramogi mausoleum next to his late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and son, Fidel Odinga.
The burial ceremony will be private, and only 500 people will be allowed entry to Raila’s gravesite.
Raila died on Wednesday, October 15, after suffering a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic treatment facility in India.
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