Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) greets opposition leader Raila Odinga of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition after addressing a news conference at the Harambee house office in Nairobi, Kenya March 9, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya - RC187D062CB0
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) greets opposition leader Raila Odinga of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition after addressing a news conference at the Harambee house office in Nairobi, Kenya March 9, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya – RC187D062CB0

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo is full of praise for Kenya’s Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) urging African countries to emulate East Africa’s biggest economy.

Obasanjo’s praise singing for Kenya was a;so joined by former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

The two have thrown their weight behind the initiative, praising the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga as a model for African countries needing the unity necessary to prosper.

They spoke in the country on Thursday, when they met leaders including Garissa Senator Mohamed Haji, chairperson of the BBI Steering Committee, who handed the report to them.

They in turn presented measures Kenya can take to rapidly provide jobs for the youth.

The two also launched their book, “The Asian Aspiration: Why and How Africa Should Emulate Asia”, which they co-authored with Greg Mills and Emily van der Merwe.

President Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Odinga have a long standing political rivalry.