A nun transferred me from her school because I was too handsome
County_Coast
By
Robert Amalemba
| May 05, 2016
I joined Moi University, Eldoret Campus, in 1987 for a bachelor of arts (cultural studies) degree.
After a short while, I shifted to education - I just loved teaching.
Campus life was really good, especially because we had plenty to fill our stomachs. My most favourite meal was ‘dialogue,’ which was a dish comprising chapati and meatballs.
The name ‘dialogue’ arose after students rioted over poor diet. This prompted the university administration and students to dialogue on the way forward. A return to campus formula was arrived at with chapati and meatballs being included on the new menu.
Whenever we were free, we would visit Wood House, Opera and Hawai nightclubs - then popular joints in Eldoret town. In fact, I was a part time DJ at Hawai.
Sh5,900 ‘boom’ we got from the government was enough to paint Eldoret town red through a three-month semester. Some of us used the money to build ‘Isimbas’ (grass-thatched houses). Many others opted for JVC, Sanyo or Royal music systems. Whenever we were broke, we would hang around laddies’ rooms( which we called boxes), where we did not need to spend much.
What was unique then was that you got a job while still in campus. In fact, I got my appointment letter to teach at Sacred Hearts Mukumu Girls in Western while I was in my third year. Unfortunately, the nun in charge of the school, Sister Rita, looked at me lengthily - I was very handsome - and immediately recommended me to another school.
She probably could not believe I would behave myself in an all-girl school!
Omboka Milemba graduated from Moi University in 1990 with a bachelors degree in education.
- As told to Robert Amalemba