Olkejuado High School, 72 kilometres South of Nairobi, is the biggest and oldest school in the larger dusty and sunny town of Kajiado where it squats on 104 hectares.
It all began in 1965, long before Maasai boys could learn something better than ‘moranism’ and herding cattle. It initially had only 56 boys. Today, it has over 1,000 boys.
By the way, it was previously a mixed school until 1992 when girls - to whom early marriages and FGM were discouraged - were separated and it became a boys’ only school.
Under current head James Passiany, a strict disciplinarian, the school has consistently posted good results in national examinations. Prominent personalities who schooled under the motto “Strive for Excellence” include include Rev Jeremiah Taama, Bishop of Anglican Church of Kajiado, Dr Solomon Rianto Mpoke, Director of KEMRI, Prof Khashoda Moeli of Daystar University and Interior cabinet secretary, Major (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery.
Others who wore white shirts with purple and white stripped ties here include former Kenya Airways head honcho Titus Naikuni and actors Joseph Kinuthia (Omosh) of Tahidi High and Peter Sankale (Olekisanda Josephat) of Vioja Mahakamani. HIV/Aids crusader Asunta Wagura also schooled here before boys were separated from girls, as well as Kajiado Governor Dr David Nkedianye.
The other notable alumnus who schooled at ‘OHS’ “where no tree grew taller than a man” is Prof Ken Walibora.
