Despite being a household name, Raila Odinga's real name is a fact known only by his ardent followers, or history enthusiasts.
Raila, in his book, Flames of Freedom, revealed that he was actually christened Rayila upon baptism.
However, for the baptism to be undertaken, Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga, had to overcome several hurdles in order for his boy to be accepted as a baptism candidate.
Jaramogi wrote to a priest informing him of his intention to have his three children, Omuodo Agola, Oburu Odinga and Raila baptised. The priest agreed to do so, but on the condition that Jaramogi would choose names already associated with the Christian church, such as Aggrey and Khama.
However, during the actual baptism day, Jaramogi completely ignored the pre-set conditions, which resulted in Raila’s mother, Mary Juma, storming away from the church, as the priest declined to baptise her children due to her husband's shenanigans.
“My father announced to the crowded church that his first son was to be named Ng’ong’a Molo Oburu. The priest refused to proceed, unmoved by my father’s earnest protestations that these were the names of our illustrious ancestors. Eventually, my mother stalked away angrily from church, and that was the end of my father’s first attempt to have us baptised,” Raila narrated.
However, characteristically, Jaramogi did not give up. He further wrote to Archdeacon Stanway of the Church Missionary Society (now the Anglican Church of Kenya), who in turn conferred with the bishop in Nairobi.
The bishop asserted that there was no reason as to why Jaramogi’s children should not be baptised with African names.
“When the subject went before the church, however, the padres objected, and the issue was the subject of discussion for some time until the archdeacon finally ruled in Jaramogi’s favour. Still no African priest ould perform the baptisms but my father eventually found a European priest who agreed to do the job,” Raila narrated.
The drama, according to Raila, was not yet over, as his mother, who he says was heartily sick of the whole affair, refused to carry them to the church.
“Jaramogi, the then principal at Maseno Veterinary School, got some of his students to help. My mother slipped into the church at the last minute and eventually we three children were baptised, Ng’ong’a Molo Oburu, Rayila Amolo Odinga, and Ngire Omuodo Agola,” Raila recalled.
According to Raila, Jaramogi was very proud of his victory.
“Although people had at first thought him very strange, many later followed suit and baptised their children with African names,” Raila asserted.
