Veteran musician and Reverend Pete Odera recently shared musician Wahu Kagwi’s moving story of how she rose to fame sharing their encounter and her journey and the role he played.
According to Pete, he was a close friend to Wahu’s elder brother, David and she confided in him sharing her dreams and frustrations as her family had wanted her to further her education when all she wanted was to sing.
Wahu apparently even took time off school and joined his back-up vocalists as he toured the country eventually getting into trouble when Wahu’s big sister learned she had dropped out of school.
He recounts with pride Wahu’s decision to go back to school where she studied Mathematics and eventually the journey that led to her MTV ‘Africa Female singer of the Year’ Award.
Here is the full story…
“David was one of my closest friends when I was younger.
He had a little sister whom we protected viciously.
One day she walked into my office in tears.
She was a first year at the University of Nairobi studying Biochemistry and she was completely frustrated.
She told me she wanted to sing but her family thought she should do medicine or something more “promising”.
She decided that day to take some time off school and this crazy little girl followed me around the country singing background vocals for me.
We were in every conceivable place from 5 star hotels to a chicken coop!
We ate every conceivable thing from a la carte to gruel.
But she stuck it out.
I recall how I one day got an earful from her feisty sister who was a lawyer.
“How did you just let my sister drop out of school? You should know better..!”
I remember looking her in the eye and saying “I don’t think you know who your baby sister really is”.
The young lady eventually went back to University and decided to study Mathematics.
I wrote and produced a couple of songs for her which weren’t really her style but she pressed on.
A few years later after much hardship and struggles, she emerged the winner of the MTV Africa female singer of the year award!
That little girl Wahu Kagwi was now an icon for many African girls.
Sometimes even the closest people to you might not really understand your gift or your vision.
Keep pushing anyway-it’s rarely for you alone.”
Source: Vibe Weekly