Nostalgia as former students reunite with teacher, 43 years later

William Obara (left), a former teacher at Mawego Technical Training Institute, with William Kerow, one of the old boys who paid him a visit at his home in Siaya. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

It was a visit that had taken months and probably years to plan, but had been on their bucket list as they reminisced about the past that shaped their professional success.

And some 43 years since they left school, more than 40 former students of Mawego Technical Training College converged at Lwenya village, Rarieda sub-county in Siaya county for one reason: to give a heart-warming surprise to the person who made the biggest impact on their lives.

In an outpouring of joy, happiness and jubilation, the former students hugged, laughed and shed tears as they celebrated their former teacher William Obara.

The extraordinary encounter saw the former students, who are of different ages, reunite with Mr Obara for the first time after four decades.

Emotions ran high and tears flew freely as the former students reminisced about the past with him. From a distance, one could feel the power of the reunion and only imagine the impact the teacher had on them.

Not even the four decades that have passed appeared to have broken the bond between the former students and their teacher. He is, after all, the man who had a hand in their careers and successes in life.

With most of the former students now in their late 50s and 60s, and some already preparing for retirement, they put aside their career successes as engineers, contractors and politicians to celebrate a man they described as a legend.

When they arrived at his home, Obara, who had been waiting patiently inside his house, broke into tears and flashed a huge smile after learning that his former students had come to visit. Mr Obara's students held him as he recounted the moments he shared with them in class. He appeared proud of his former students and even shed a tear at their heartfelt messages.

Pius Oloo Okello, the chairperson of Mawego Technical Training Institute Alumni Association described Obara as a teacher who always put his students first.

"He was ever jovial and upbeat. His class, Technical Drawing was the favourite for most of us. We would always be looking forward to his classes," Okello said.

Shem Ochuodho, who served as Rangwe MP from 1997 to 2002, described Obara as a jovial and easy-going champion who loved his work.

"He was very jovial and accommodating. Most of us who passed through Obara's hand managed to be somewhere. I have never met anyone who passed through his hands who is not doing well in life," Ochuodho said.

Mr Obara urged teachers to develop a passion for education, recounting how most teachers who taught with him were committed to their work.

"I joined teaching when teaching was a calling. Fortunately, we were also teaching bright students. It's easy to teach bright students. I enjoyed teaching when teaching was teaching," said Mr Obara.

"We were not motivated by money. We were serving our communities by helping to nurture young people who were placed in our hands," he added.

Obara was born in the year 1937 at Lweya village, Rarieda sub-county in Siaya county.

He went to School at Lweya Primary School up to Standard 4 then he joined Ndiru Intermediate School for his standard 5 to 8. He later went to Kakamega High School then joined the Kenya Polytechnic (Technical University of Kenya).

Obara then joined the Ministry of Public Works but left to join the Ministry of Education as a teacher at the Technical School of Nakuru now Nakuru High School.

He retired in 1999 after serving for over 30 years and returned to his rural home in Lweya.

Obara's former students described the thanksgiving ceremony as a small token of appreciation to the legendary teacher who set them on a positive path to inspire the lives of other people.