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June, 2008 "Going Back To Muhoho High School...." Muhoho High School is the lovely institution where I started and completed my Four-year secondary school life before joining Njiiri's High School for my Two-year advanced secondary school life.
I joined the school in January 1976 after passing my Primary School exams in Kiamwangi Primary School and left in November 1979 after the Form Four Exams.
The School was established in early '60s after Kenya's Independence and is situated in Gatitu, Kiganjo area of Gatundu District. It is named after the Late Snr. Chief Muhoho Gathecha, father to the Former First-Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta. It's a famous institution which has excelled over years and managed to produce a good number of prominent personalities in Kenya. It has Classes from Form One to Form Six. I loved the school though after my school life, I found myself associating more with Njiiri's than Muhoho. As such, I never set my foot again in the school ever since I collected both my Academic and Leaving Certificates in January 1980 !!
On 9th June, 2008 I received an invitation from the Head of English/Literature Department of Muhoho High school, Mr. Thuku. He wanted me, as a prominent artist and a former old-boy of the school, to be the Guest Speaker during the Central Province Inter-schools' Drama, Music, Poetry and Oral literature Symposium. The event would take place on Sunday, 15th June, 2008 in the School's main hall. I was supposed to give a lecture on "The Role of a Musician in the Society and the Challenges they face...." This meant that I was GOING BACK TO MUHOHO...!! I felt honoured and excited.
So, I prepared myself nicely and came Sunday, I parked my new BMW at the same spot where my good-old Biology teacher, Mr. Kimanange used to park his bicycle in 1978. I was accompanied by my brother Bjorn Githinji, my cousin Dr.Anthony Kamau and Inooro FM Radio Reporter Mr.Mike Njoroge. We were warmly welcomed by our hosts who also offered us a delicious lunch in the Staff-room. We were then taken round the school to see the changes that had taken place since I left nearly THIRTY YEARS AGO. Here I could see my good-old classrooms(where I had been declared the most noisy but brightest boy) ,our biology lab(where we used to dissect frogs, chameleons, mice and insects), the physics lab( where I first saw and learnt of bunsen-burner, beaker, tripod, glowing-flint, acid, gases, lead, magnet, etc), the dormitory(whose door-step the watchman used to camp permanent to ensure that I did not take in a female student of a visiting school),the agriculture block(..the house of soil, seeds, tubers, garden-tools, manure, animals, ploughs, etc), the bursar's office( where I'd once tricked the bursar into issuing me with a receipt for school-tour fee I had actually NOT paid), the same old dinning hall( where we used to feast on weevil-filled "githeri" and porriage popularly referred to as "gum" or "glue") and a cute well-equipped library which never existed during my days - (lucky these current students, I mummered to myself!).
After the tour, I was taken to the Hall where the students were eagerly and curiously waiting for me. The Hall was filled to capacity. Mr. Thuku introduced me and my colleagues to all those in attendance. Several students gave their rich presentations on musical works, poetry, scene-reciting, tongue-twisters, etc, etc. I found them very original, creative and entertaining.
It was then my turn to speak. I started by giving a brief history/introduction of myself, my former institutions of learning, my various professions(Musician, Movie-actor, Customs Official, Farmer and Businessman). I then moved to the main topic and systematically talked on the Role of a Musician in the society, the Challenges they face and some ways of overcoming those challenges. It took me less than an hour to give the presentation which the teachers and the students commented was clear, understandable and well-researched. Later I sang and performed for them using my audio-cd playback. They all enjoyed and danced with me. It was lovely and fun-filled.
By the time we left (at 6.00pm), I found myself wishing I would get another chance to visit Muhoho High School....
Below Are some of The Day's Photos...
December, 2007 My Good Old Upcountry Home. My Good Old Upcountry Home is a place called Kiamwangi Village of Gatundu Division, Thika District, (now Gatundu District) in Central Province, located just about 50 Kilometres North-West of Nairobi City. On a normal day, it would take you approximately between 45 minutes and 1 hour to reach there. This also happens to be the home of our First President of Kenya, the Late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. Infact, the home of the Former First Lady's (Mama Ngina Kenyatta) mom is a stone-throw away from my parents home.
This is where I was born and brought up by my loving parents in the mid-1960's just after our country's Independence. I will not dwell much on my past though it is as interesting as my present. All the same, it's worth pointing out that I was brought up just like most of my ordinary colleagues, village-mates and average fellow country-men.
Our boyhood life was characterised by farming and herding in our parents' small farms. Very few of our parents had big farms. Our other "exta-normal" activities included making carts, sliding/skidding in mud & cow-dung, swimming and fishing in rivers & murky ponds, hunting small animals & birds using dogs, climbing trees for fun and fruits, stealing eggs & sugar-canes from those farms which had plenty of them, keeping rabbits, gambling using coins & bottle-tops, attending village factual films (cinemas), chasing village girls and orgazising inter-village dances & fights !! We also imitated movie and other stars of the time. You could get a James Bond, Bruce Lee, Clint Eastwood, etc, from my village. However, to attain such status one had to pay very high prices - You had to prove your prowess in several ways which included - having a flock of girls, starting & winning many fights, incitement, jumping from fast moving vehicles, dropping from top of tall trees & tall structures, milking buffalos and such other dare-devil activies only witnessed in Hollywood movies ! You were NOT suppossed to be hurt and if hurt, you were NOT suppossed to cry !! I excelled very well in a number of these activities - and that was a sure way of proving oneself a Hero.....
Anyway, so much for that...and those gone good old days...!!
After my primary, secondary and tertially school careers, I became more of a city-man than a village man.... I lived in hired rooms as a tenant and this is where I first came into contact with that creature named "Landlord". If I were to describe a Landlord to a layman, I would say...that this is a half- human and half-animal that only smile at you during month-end when you are paying his rent.... This is the same creature with which I played so much hide-and-seek game till I gave up decided enough is enough. I purchase a piesce of land in my village and constructed a small shelter which I could call "My Home..." At least it kept me away from the Landlord's wrath!
To be Continued.....
   October, 2006 Church Fund-Raiser Function - 8th Oct. 2006I enjoy taking part in Communal activities and Social responsibilities in general.
Lately, on Sunday the 8th October, 2006, Mr.Murwaru and Mr.Ben Githae, both established Kenyan gospel musicians invited me for a funds drive in aid of Zimmerman P.C.E.A Church construction. The two musicians are devout Christians and stout members of this church. The function took place inside the incomplete church building immediately after the normal church service from 11.00am to 3.00pm. Zimmerman is a largely residential-cum-commercial sprawling estate situated some 10 or so kilometres north of Nairobi City. Mr.Githae was the Master of Ceremony and he indeed kept the congregation "alive"...
The function was systematically and professionally organised. Long queues of contributors snaked all the way to "outside" the building each time a group was called. Response was surely wonderful and people contributed willingly and generously. A total of Kenya Shilings 1,2000,000/- (approx. US$ 16,552.OO) was raised. Exchange rate is 1US$=Kshs 72.50
I contributed a total of approx. Kshs.32,000/- (approx. US$ 441.OO) which included some generous contributions from my friends.
......"God Rewards The Arm That giveth...."
By: Jimmy Wayuni
Nairobi, KENYA. |
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