Enemies of development, and they are many, view me as a useless fellow — one who has no value to add in life. When I was on teaching practice at St Theresa’s Girls, I remember one teacher there, he must have been called Unoka or Okonkwo, who never thought anything good could come from me.
That teacher, said that I was so useless that I could only be used as a bad example!
That statement hurt me so much that I considered withdrawing from the teaching practice programme, but I was not so sure that Kenyatta University had any provision for withdrawing from teaching practice midstream.
Luckily, that teacher is in the minority. The majority people know how important I am to my family, my school and the community. I am a role model to all the young ones in the region and all reasonable parents tell their children to work hard in school and succeed like me.
I know there are those of you who are wondering what is it that I have achieved. I will enumerate some of my successes here. The strong C- I scored at Mwisho Wa Lami in 1998 remained a record in this school for long, and was only broken in the Kaimenyi era when, not only did exams leak but even the marking schemes were easily available!
Then I went to Kilimambogo Teachers Training College, where everyone remembers me for my great achievements. In fact, my exploits in both co- and extra-curricular activities are still discussed there. Indeed, you will find “Dre was here” inscribed on most toilet walls, over a decade later. As a P1 teacher, I have excelled in handball, choir, drama and leg-ball. Have I even told you that I am the only teacher in this region who is pursuing a degree at the internationally recognised Kenyatta University?
And I have other firsts as well, like being the first man to have a proper wedding in Mwisho wa Lami village. We have had pre-weddings before, but mine remains the first, and only real wedding of a true Mwisho wa Lami son.
Then there is the ongoing construction of my huge, seven-room, state-of-the-art permanent house. Enemies of development will remind you that the house is far from being completed four years later but this is the biggest house ever started this side of the Sahara.
It is the above achievements that have made me a role model. Indeed, most parents in Mwisho wa Lami who want their sons to succeed send them to me for mentoring. And those who want their daughters to grow up right send them to Fiolina for mentoring, so that they can also be married to as successful man like me.
So when Tito, the owner of Busy Bee Academy, sent me an SMS asking to see me to discuss the role I could play during the graduation of his pre-unit class, I knew he wanted to benefit from my fame.
“Our graduation is on October 24 and we have everything set except for a Guest of Honour,” he told me when we met. “And I have looked around and I can’t think of anyone better than you to grace the event.”
“That is OK. I will do a great job to encourage the small children to work harder,” I said. I then asked him to show me the programme.
“Although I am yet to graduate at Kenyatta university,” I said after looking at his simple programme, I have attended one or two graduation ceremonies and I can help you make it very academic.”
His programme only had prayers and speeches from the teachers and guest of honour.
I asked him if he had graduation gowns which he did not have.
“A graduation is not complete without a gown and degrees,” I told him, clarifying that by degree I meant the graduation hat. That day, I made contact with Mr Maina of Sharp Shooters Academy who accepted to give us his gowns for a day at a good price of Sh120 per gown. We also took three graduation hats.
