By Salifu Faridat
In an astonishing turn of events, the former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, made an unanticipated visit to Kenya on Wednesday.
This visit coincided with a gathering of African leaders who were endorsing the Nairobi Declaration, an initiative designed to promote environmentally sustainable growth, climate mitigation, and adaptation efforts across Africa.
The surprise occurred just as Kenya’s President William Ruto was preparing to announce the summit’s declaration.
Obasanjo emerged from the midst of the leaders in attendance, engaging in friendly conversations with fellow leaders and summit delegates, including billionaire Mo Ibrahim.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s President from 1999 to 2007, joined the leaders as they proceeded to an open field at the Kenyatta International Convention Center known as the “Court Hall,” where President Ruto delivered the concluding address of the summit.
During his speech, President Ruto warmly recognized Obasanjo and other leaders, affectionately referring to the former Nigerian President as the “Grandfather of Africa.” This recognition was met with resounding applause and cheers from the audience.
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Ruto attributed the success of the summit to Obasanjo’s guidance, highlighting that Obasanjo’s presence was to ensure that the leaders did not make any critical errors at the last moment.
Ruto explained, “I attempted to dissuade him from joining us, assuring him that we would successfully complete the task. However, he insisted, just in case we made any missteps at the eleventh hour.”
The Africa Climate Summit, which ran from Monday, gathered climate change experts, organizations, and more than 12 Heads of State and Government from across Africa in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city.
This event, co-hosted by Kenya’s President William Ruto, the African Union, and other partners, aimed to facilitate discussions and propose solutions to address the profound impacts of climate change on the continent and globally.
Under the theme of “Driving Green Growth and Financial Solutions for Africa and the World,” ACS 2023 focused on achieving growth that has a positive impact on the climate and exploring financial solutions, particularly in Africa.
The summit aimed to tackle the growing challenges posed by climate change, which have significant economic and environmental consequences both globally and specifically within Africa.
As the Africa Climate Summit concluded on Wednesday, President Ruto announced in his closing remarks that various stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, multilateral banks, and philanthropists, had pledged substantial commitments totaling $23 billion to support green growth, climate mitigation, and adaptation efforts across Africa during this action-oriented summit.
