When Professor Emilly Akuno, the current Vice Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, told her father that she wanted to study music, it was met with a lot of opposition.
Her dillema was how to convince her father — a police officer from Gem in Siaya County that music was what she wanted to do in her entire life.
“I went into depression and was only rescued by the then headmistress at Alliance Girls High Joan Waithaka who convinced me to take Geography and Music,” recalls Akuno.
Even though she was appointed as an Associate Professor of Music years later, her father could still not believe it.
She further explains, “I had the opportunity to pursue a course in Medicine because of my exemplary performance in sciences but I chose music.”
Akuno, who was installed as the second Vice Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in a colourful ceremony, succeeded Prof Stephen Agong, who headed the institution since it was awarded a charter in 2013.
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The professor of music tells Education News that her passion for music and education stems from her grandmother and mother.
“My grandmother were among those people who went to school in those days. She inculcated the value for reading and writing in her children, my mother included,” she explains.
The Don, who is a delightful person, full of love and life, adds that their late father took them to school but their mother ensured they stayed in school.
Akuno, an alumnus of St Theresa’s Girls Primary School, Yala and Alliance Girls High, says going to school was the culture in their family.
At 62, Akuno is on a mission to use music to read and analyse situations in order to come up with problem solving solutions in her administrative work.
“University is a community with a culture. I therefore look forward to use music in appreciating that culture,” she says.
The music scholar, adds that despite being considered as an art, there is so much science and technology in music.
With an already established Institute for Cultural Heritage and Material Science at Jooust, Akuno says that art falls here.
With administration experience as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs at Cooperative University of Kenya and the director, School of Music at Kenyatta University, Akuno says her vision is to make JOOUST better.
She also served as the executive Dean, faculty of Social Science and Technology at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK).
Because of her dedication and service to the country, Akuno was awarded the Order of the Golden Warrior (OGW).
With several publications, Akuno is also the President, International Society for Music Education and also the chair of the World Alliance for Arts Education.
As she takes over at the university, Akuno says her vision is on teaching, research and learning that have direct impact to the community.
“My focus will be on agriculture and food security as well as community health and well-being,” she said, adding that her role is purely administration.
She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy from Kingston University, Surrey, UK and Masters in Music from Northwestern State University, Louisiana, US.
By Erick Nyayiera
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