Ida Odinga shares insights into meanings behind her children's names

In a deeply moving address to mourners at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, Mama Ida Odinga opened a window into her family life, explaining the thought and meaning behind the names of her four children.

Her reflections revealed not only personal memories but also the historical and cultural influences that shaped the Odinga household.

Ida began with their firstborn, Fidel Castro Odhiambo Odinga, admitting she was initially unsure about the choice.

“When he was born, I was a bit unsure about the way Raila wanted to name him. I asked, Why Fidel?” she said.

Raila’s admiration for the Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, renowned for his resilience and defiance, inspired the name.

“That is how we ended up calling him Fidel,” she said, noting Raila’s respect for leaders who dared to challenge injustice.

Their second child, Rosemary Odinga, carried a name that united both families.

“Rose is the name of my father, and Mary is the name of his mother,” Ida explained, noting the significance of blending her lineage with Raila’s.

“It also has a deep meaning,” she added, highlighting the role of names as bridges between generations.

Raila Odinga Jr, the couple’s third child, was named after Raila’s cousin and close friend, Raila Kembo.

“He named him after his cousin,” Ida said, emphasising that the name not only celebrated family bonds but also honoured the legacy of their father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

The youngest, Winnie Odinga, was named in a moment that intertwined personal joy with a global milestone. Born in February 1990, Ida was in the hospital as Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Watching Mandela walk free with Winnie Mandela at his side, she made her decision.

“As I was watching the TV, I could see Nelson and Winnie Mandela holding hands as Mandela walked out of prison. We didn’t know what kind of child I would get, but I said, if it’s a boy, we would name him Nelson, and if it’s a girl, Winnie,” she recalled.

Ida used the occasion to encourage parents to give children names that carry meaning.

“I know these days you can name your child any name you want, but I appeal to those with children: give your child a meaningful name,” she said.

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She also reflected on her life with Raila, which spanned more than five decades.

“We got married in 1973 and lived with this man for 52 years,” she said. “Many people here in this stadium could easily have been our children. No wonder you called him Baba. The name didn’t come from nowhere, but from the experience and relationship we had with so many people.”

Through these recollections, Ida paid tribute to the late Raila Odinga while underscoring the values of family, memory, and legacy that guided their home. In a written tribute read at the funeral, she described Raila as her “partner, confidant and greatest supporter.”

“My dear, my heart is heavy as I write these words. The news of your sudden passing feels like an ache that cannot be soothed. It’s a pain so deep I find myself praying for strength, for courage, and for the peace that surpasses all understanding,” she wrote.

She recalled their shared dreams of retirement and old age together.

“For over five decades, you weren’t just my husband, you were my partner, my confidant, my greatest supporter. I had dreamed of retiring together, of growing old hand in hand, sharing quiet sunsets and dreams fulfilled. But now I realise life’s plans are in the hands of a higher power,” Ida wrote.

Ida described Raila as a figure whose courage, compassion, and faith inspired countless others.

“You taught me what true courage with humanity looks like. Through your actions and words, you showed us that forgiveness is a virtue worth cultivating, that bravery is rooted in facing storms head-on with unwavering faith,” she said.