By Anderson Ojwang
In the midst of her pain and the cloud of darkness that hung over Mama Canon Ida Odinga’s heart, she finally found her laughter again — through an act of kindness and honour.
From Turkana County, a 678.2-kilometre drive to her Opoda farm in Bondo, which takes some 12 hours and eight minutes to reach, brought tears of joy to Mama Ida. When all the pain was getting worse and the sorrow threatened to break her, a pleasant surprise turned her world around.
The sorrow and the pain of losing her loving husband, the enigma, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, were unbearable.
She is yet to come to terms with being a widow, for she had been confident her husband would come home safely from medical treatment in India.
That is why when she spoke in her village in Migori County, she reassured everyone that Baba was fine and would soon return home.
“Baba is doing well. If he was that sick, I would have brought him to Migori Hospital for treatment. He is well and do not be worried,” she said before his demise.
But as fate would have it, that was the last time she would see her beloved husband. The loss was a stark reminder of when she lost her father, Nehemiah Oyoo, at a tender age and had to face the harsh reality of living as an orphan.
From Turkana, braving the harsh conditions and insecurity, buses carrying 170 mourners glided through the hills and rough terrains to Bondo.
In the group was a young girl who, in her life, was making her first longest journey — travelling through regions she had only learnt about in her geography books.
The journey was long and torturous, but for the love of Baba and Min Piny, they had to make it happen.
And when they finally arrived at Opoda, it was the culmination of Jesus’ teaching about the poor widow.
Mark 12:41–44:
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. But a poor widow came and put in two very small coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.’”
And the people of Turkana delivered a young girl named after her — Ida Raila Odinga.
It was the first time she had heard about her, and even met her. In her sorrowful moment, tears of joy and happiness flowed.
Looking at the distance and the risk the young girl had taken to condole with her, Mama Ida found her happiness and smile again.
All the pain and worries disappeared, and for a moment she held the girl so tightly — they smiled together, and it was the best thing that had happened to her at her lowest moment.
Although Opoda had seen huge traffic by air and road from those paying their last respects, the arrival of her namesake was profoundly fulfilling.
One of her employees, who spoke to us but requested not to be named, said, “That was the best moment in Mama’s life lately. Her smiles finally returned, and she talked joyously. Her spirit returned and her spark returned. Her face was radiant and, for the first time after Baba’s death, Mama was happy.”
When the bus left, Mama Ida was touched by the young girl’s courage and promised to see her through her education.
