Baba Oyogi

Every Sunday afternoon, Baba Oyogi gathered all kids after church under a Jacaranda tree. He would make sure we had some juice that was packed in small plastic bottles, they came with small straws. He would distribute five pieces of biscuits to each of us. He made us listen to his stories before we munched. It was like, he was buying our attention with the snacks. Well, it worked.

Baba Oyugi was a short, chubby, dark-skinned man. His afro was always combed and pressed backwards revealing his shiny forehead. He always wore brown khaki pants with white polo shirts. He would then tuck, which revealed his protruding bell. He always had a metallic watch on and some black, shiny polished shoes with worn-out outsoles. He walked with a lot of confidence and he would speak with a firm but smooth voice to us. Most of the kids were excited when they saw him because he used to give them candy.

This one specific Sunday, Baba Oyugi came in before our Sunday school session ended. He was bald and his forehead didn’t show any shine. He wasn’t as chubby and his belly didn’t quite show, you could tell the flesh was slightly hanging from the way he had tucked in the shirt. He was in a brown baggy t-shirt and his khaki pant seemed baggy too. His voice was somehow shaky but still as smooth. He then announced that his Jacaranda tree sessions will be happening indoors today and we will only get some juice in small plastic cups and home-cooked mandazis, one each. That day he told us that he will tell us one interesting story. He directed us to form a circle around his chair and he served the snacks one by one. His final instruction was that we will only eat after his story, as usual.

Once upon a time, there was a couple that had three daughters. The oldest daughter was arrogant and proud and she would love to command the others around, she took credit for what others did. The second daughter was always calm, and silent and she would do what she was told and even spend extra time doing other things. She had her small garden, and her dream was to one day be a good farmer so she could make money from it to help her family. The third daughter was childlike, she was always complaining. She thought the world was always unfair and she never got to do much for herself except what she was always commanded to do by her older sister. Their parents had to work in the city to provide for them. One day, they left them at home for weeks, and they chose the older sibling to be in charge while they were gone. When they came back, they found the older sibling with a scar on her head and the younger sibling had a scar on her cheek. They sat them down and questioned them, The sisters started blaming each other. The parents decided to call in the middle child. She came and told her parents how much her sisters fought while they were away. One was blaming the other for being lazy and entitled and the other was blaming the other for being bossy and rude. The parents asked the middle child what she was doing while they were fighting and she said, “I was busy tending to my small farm, and when I came back I found that they had already fought.” the parents were surprised when they heard that the daughter had a small farm. They decided to go and check. They found that the plants had already fully grown and that the food was enough to last them a few weeks so they would save the money they use to buy food. They were happy and proud and decided to reward the daughter. “next time we leave for the city, you will be in charge, the rest of you, make something useful of yourselves instead of fighting and blaming each other” they said. they both apologized to their parents. The younger sister offered to help her older sister maintain the farm and the older promised to water the plants. Finally, the sisters worked together.

Baba Oyugi looked at us and said,

“I know I usually ask what you have learnt from my story but today I will not. You kids have been a blessing to all of us and I just want you to know this,

Don’t be the one to be seen to do things in life, instead be the one who actually does things. Be humble and always work hard and never complain. Do what is supposed to be done.”

A few Sundays later, we were told that Baba Oyugi went to heaven, and he won’t come to see us anymore. Years later, I learnt that cancer took him. That story stuck in my head. I wish I said thank you in person.