‘I’m not as short as you think’ — Obasanjo jokes at Odinga’s campaign launch for AUC chair

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo created a humorous moment on Tuesday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, during the unveiling of Raila Odinga as the chairperson candidate of the African Union Commission (AUC).

At the event, Kenyan President William Ruto invited Obasanjo to the podium to address the stakeholders.

While Obasanjo was approaching the podium, Ruto was seen signaling someone in the direction of the podium.

Within some seconds, a protocol officer was seen carrying a space board and putting it at the feet of the podium pulpit for Obasanjo to mount for his height to reach the microphone stand.

However, when Obasanjo arrived at the podium, he removed the space board and said, “I am not as short as you think I am”.

The dramatic move by the former president threw the audience into a moment of laughter.

Odinga was the prime minister of Kenya between 2008 and 2013.

The election into the AUC senior leadership is expected to take place in February 2025 during the African Union summit.

The eastern region of the continent is expected to submit candidates for the role of chairperson in line with the inter-regional rotation of leadership.

In his address, Obasanjo said Odinga is not only a candidate for Kenya but for the entire East African community.

He said Africa needs Odinga’s leadership in this critical moment of wars and conflicts in the world.

“We need a person at this critical stage of our development in Africa. The present situation of the world where we have a fractured world, a world riddled with conflicts and wars,” Obasanjo said.

The former president said Africa needs an AU visa, which will reduce the number of visas required to travel around the continent.

Obasanjo said the continent must come together to collectively solve its problems for shared prosperity.