VIDEO: How I used to sneak out of Starehe Boys to go to Nairobi night clubs - Magoha

(Video Credits: Christopher Gisiri)

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha narrated how he sneaked out of school to play the bass guitar in Nairobi's city clubs.

Magoha said while at Starehe Boys Center, he sneaked out of class many times through the window to join the Kabaselle music band.

In a rare admission of his dark past as a student, Magoha told a group of students how he would have been a brat were it not for Geoffrey William Griffin, the founding director of Starehe Boys' Centre.

"I am who I am today because all the band members including Kabaselleh himself died many years ago," said Magoha.

Magoha was addressing more than 2, 000 beneficiaries of the Elimu Scholarships and Equity Group Foundation Wings to Fly.

The meeting was held at the Pangani Girls high school during the Nairobi Region Annual Congress.

Magoha took the opportunity to explain to the students his unruly but zealous childhood moments and his passion for playing the bass guitar.

The rare admission was triggered by a recent cartoon published in The Standard, whose contents he said were precise.

The cartoon depicted the young Omore JoJ (George Omore Magoha) in School uniform with a guitar strapped around his tiny body. 

Magoha wore a frowning face that attracted the attention of his fellow band members.

In the Cartoon, Luo Benga Musician Kabaselleh Ochieng', teases Magoha to smile at the audience. "Young man put on a smile kidogo... This is showbiz."

And addressing the students, Magoha said: "That cartoon is true. I grew up in East lands as one of the tough young men there...I used to be a deputy Commander (sic) of a juvenile gang called Sicheki. We used to have skirmishes with other groups in Orolo and Makongeni."

Magoha recalled how he would occasionally sneak out of school to participate in a music band's activities but was many times betrayed by the bright colour of his uniforms.

"The uniform colours were so bright and our people at Starehe would follow me and pick me back to class. Since I was controlled in school just a bit, I released that if my self drive would be directed in the right place, I could be very intelligent," he added.

He narrated to the students how his interest in music was nurtured. Magoha said he was attracted to a students' band from Starehe Boys Center performing on television and he immediately knew that was the school he wanted to join so he could join the band.

The CS expressed his childhood dream to become a musician and how he escaped from school to attend Luo Benga bands' live performances. But his dream was cut short following strict school rules.

He said that he was mostly attracted by the colour of the boys' uniform.

"I liked the bright blue and red colours and decided I wanted to go there because of the band. I used to play the bass guitar before joining Starehe and after I joined the school.  But the discipline that was there is the reason why I am today because all the band members including Kabaselleh himself died many years ago," said Magoha.

Magoha went on to explain how his wayward behaviour saw him put on the school's radar and put on notice by the then school administrator Patrick Shaw who was also a police reservist.

The teenager, who, today, presents himself as a disciplinarian, tough and a no-nonsense statesman told a story of a boy being guided through his school life to become an influential leader in the society.

"We had regimented officers at Starehe who ensured there were rules to be followed. I had rich classmates who had 'Komerera bicycles (mountain bikes). Since I was so attracted to the bicycles that are splendid outside glamour I would escape during lectures through the window, borrow the bicycle and go to town," he recalled.

But the colour of his uniform -which he liked anyway- betrayed his pursuit to play the guitar and participate in the band's performances.

Magoha attributed his success story of being raised in the slums to rising up the higher ranks in government to the discipline learnt from school.

"Having been caned, Patrick Shaw would come to the class in the morning three to four times to check if I'm still there. I would still be ahead in the class because I was still doing classwork. 

Magoha said the school administrator managed to tame his wild aspiration in pursuing music and eventually, his band replaced him after he missed practice sessions.

But he was lucky to be paid Sh30 for each of the two songs they had recorded before the school tamed him to make him concentrate on his studies.

Today, Magoha said he supports some of his classmates who were privileged during school days.

"I pay rent for some of those rich students whom I used to borrow bicycles from and give them money for food," said Magoha.

Magoha also recalled how he was forced by Griffins to go to Strathmore (University).

"I told him I could not manage but he insisted that I would be among the first people to get first division...After two years, I sat for the exam and I got a scholarship from the first president Jomo Kenyatta in 1973, yet our people were not supporting the government at the time."

Magoha said his success story is a long and winding one: "That is what has kept me doing what I am going to do. I treat children equally because I too was given the opportunity. The scholarship I got made me take three of my siblings up to university level."

He said: "I never imagined myself being a minister. Since I did not allow alcohol to dictate me or follow one or two other people, you would call me a failure."

As he spoke, Equity Chief Executive James Mwangi, Education PS Jwan Julius, Pangani Girls Principal Florence Ngarari among other officials.

The theme of the Elimu Scholarships and Equity Group Foundation Wings to Fly that Self Drive is key to life transformation is actually true and I am an example of that process.