“Gudi moningi School” is how our week started in the Monday school assemblies, by our Chief Principal (CP), Raphael Diwani, at Makueni Boys’ High School. Pin-drop silence was ever a ritual as we listened to our CP. He always tickled us with humour, amidst correcting us with immense love. Removing the village mentality in us, as he often mentioned.
Today, I celebrate Diwani (pictured below), as one of my heroes. May God bless him as he continues his current role passionately as a government administrator in one of the counties in our motherland, Kenya. What really makes Makueni Boys’ High School unique?
One of the memorable Guidance and Counselling (G&C) sessions facilitated by Victor Ochieng (pictured below) early in 2020, when I was in Form 3, was themed, Boys, Be Men! This talk awakened the passion to grow—to transform from being boys into becoming men. Here, we learnt the art of dressing, grooming, personal organisation, and even the importance of working hard as men. Our CP was always an epitome of a well-groomed and smartly dressed man. We all admired his well-ironed suits that never faded. I still have clear pictures of the three-piece suits with pocket squares matching the ties.
During school functions hosted at our school, our Chief Principal always had a rule for us. One boy, one girl. It was illegal to have a group of boys chasing a single girl—a girl, for that matter. On encountering Mr. Diwani in such a state, you would be embarrassed in front of the girl and advised to pursue courage with immediate effect—courage to approach a girl to talk to on your own. Of course, it broke the bro-coderule of accompanying each other to the ‘missions’, but for our own good. There was no room to be shy. I celebrate the men of substance he made us to be.
Coming to the spiritual foundation, our Christian Union (CU) Patron, Pastor Harrison Mutinda, was always present to mould us. His availability every Tuesday evening to take us through the discipleship classes has shaped our spiritual personalities today. On Saturdays, we had night fellowships with powerful preaching and teachings. On Sunday, we had compulsory Sunday Services for the whole school. Teachers on Duty in attendance.
Daily, the CU Chair would lead us through corporate prayers in the Power House immediately after the evening preps. If it were not for that foundation, I am unsure if I would still be standing in faith. I bear a testimony. Not to forget is the habit of tithing that lies with heft in my heart today. Affirming the scripture in the book of Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” In a nutshell, one who gives is the one who receives.
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What of Leadership? Right from the onset in Form One, I became a class secretary. The tough responsibility of keeping the class in order sparked my passion for leadership. It was a pride to remind the Chief Principal to come to class, for the Biology lessons. He taught us alongside the Head of Department (HoD) of Sciences, Rose Ngumbau. It was a privilege to be the only class taught by the CP in the whole school.
Coming to Form Three, I was appointed Editorial Board Chair of our yearly school magazine, The Eye Opener, Edition 2021. Much thanks to Sir Henry Momanyi, the Editor-in-Chief of the publication. The mini role I played in the school gave me an opportunity to grow my leadership skills. Knowing how to handle different issues and people’s emotions – Emotional Intelligence. Once a leader, always a leader.
The first time I addressed the whole school was when I was in Form Two. Denis Bayo, our Deputy Captain Administration, then gave me an opportunity. He was responsible for the prefect’s public speaking rota in the school assemblies. Bayo trained me on public speaking dynamics, giving me the courage to pursue the field passionately. Today, Bayo is a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) graduate from Strathmore University.
He is also the author of My Spirit Awakens. At the verge of exiting high school, the school organised the first talent show, facilitated by the Afrik Wear Entertainment Unit. In the event, I got a prestigious opportunity to showcase my public speaking skills, where I was the first runner-up. Indeed, this was a mark of a promising future in public speaking. For me to practice the art today under the leadership of my Director and Mentor Victor Ochieng at God’s Pen Consultancy, it had to start in Makueni Boys’.
Makueni Boys’ Alumni Association is another group that came in handy for me when I was still a student. I remember our impactful talks with the old boys who gave us hope. Instilling possibility in us. If they made it to the acme of their careers, we would also make it. I am grateful to the school for having such mentorship sessions for the students. It is also a moment where we students learnt the importance of networking. For it is in Makueni Boys’ that it was instilled in us that no one is too young to build networks.
Live long, MB-CITY.
By Daniel Muinde
The writer is an alumnus of Makueni Boys’ High School, class of 2021.
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