Nigeria, Feb. 2 -- At first, he appeared to be the most unlikely candidate for the task. After his fifth attempt at running for Kenya's presidency, surely Raila Odinga is finished, done. The only thing left perhaps was how to update his memoirs. But who needs nuggets from a loser who couldn't put them to use himself?

These were the thoughts that weighed on our minds as we thought of inviting former Kenyan Prime Minister and freshly defeated candidate of the Orange Democratic Movement, Raila Odinga, to the 14th edition of the LEADERSHIP annual conference and awards.

It's also interesting that since he narrowly lost last year's presidential election to William Ruto, who framed the campaign as an epic battle of "hustler vs. dynasty", Oding...