Jacob Muthuri Kiome, born 51 years ago in Meru is a man who has seen much in this world and struggled through thick and thin to get where he is. He started his schooling in Nkubu Primary school where he struggled hard enough to secure a place in Form One, in the high flying St. Pius X Seminary in the year 1978.
He was a hardworking student whose studies were unfortunately curtailed by lack of school fess when he got to Form Three. He was forced to quit school there and then, meaning a change of plans for his promising future.
This flagged off a journey of struggles for the young man. No one was willing or able to assist him after the unfortunate dropping out. He decided to start a business as a shoe-shiner to try and make ends meet. With time however, he realized the earnings from this partaking were not enough, so he decided to split his time between shoe shining, farming and intermittently occurring businesses.
These he did until he got married. Shortly after, his business collapsed without warning. It came at a time when he begot his first son and a nursing wife. He says this was the most difficult period of his life. His desire for a stable life led God to bless him with a job at Nkubu High School.
He worked in the Farm Department for 3 years before being promoted to the Catering Department. With a stable job, life began rewarding his earlier struggles and the “never-say-die” attitude. He managed to take his first son to Kaaga Boys High School who then proceeded to the prestigious Kampala International University in Uganda. The son is currently working.
His second son went to Nkubu High School; one of the highly ranked high schools in the Kenyan republic and is now readying himself to undertake University studies after successfully completing high school last year. The third son is in class 7 and promises to follow in the elder pair’s footsteps.
“Educating my children,” he says, “is my greatest achievement.”
Jacob has worked his way to become the Senior Cook in the school. And looking back, he says “The far I have come is by God’s grace.” Asked about the challenges he has faced, he quips, “Challenges will always be there; especially after High school and in marriage life. After high school there are thieves, drunks, drug abusers, business people, the educated and the clergy. You should choose wisely who to follow. Your initial steps in life will guide the ones to come.”
Having enough experience in the Matrimonial School, he says, “Marriage must have a lot of co-operation since there are two different people who have come together. In addition, they are always spending. It is only prudent that they get to understand each other in order to overcome the challenges facing them.”
He says he may not have gotten through high school, but the far he has come is a fete that can’t be overlooked. He has managed to build a permanent house.
He also expects to continue with business after he retires in a few years’ time. His service to the Nkubu High School community is also a feather in the cap of the man. “Njakubu” as he’s fondly known is a man who made the best he could from the worst that befell him. He is the embodiment of perseverance in these hard times we face.
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Big up yourself man NJAKUBU! That’s the spirit we should all have as we get going. It seems that there was much we didn’t know apart from the 1/4 kg of wheat!