I'm sorry I didn't wail, cry as you had wished, Magoha's widow tells Siaya mourners

Prof. George Magoha's widow, Dr. Barbara Magoha. [File, Standard]

Dr. Barbara Magoha, the widow of former Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha, said on Saturday that she did not wail as the body of her husband was being wheeled into his Siaya homestead on Friday because of her Nigerian culture.

Speaking at the Odera Akang'o College Campus in Yala, Siaya County during the funeral service of the Late Magoha, Dr. Barbara, who is a Nigerian national, said during grief, they usually celebrate the life of the deceased, and not cry over his or her death.

"I need to make certain facts clear. Some cultures are good, and there are others, as time goes by, that we'll have to give up on," she said in her speech.

"People were upset, some were astonished, that I did not wail and cry while entering the home. Sorry to let you down. My new position in the family [as the head], does not give me the privilege to do public display of emotions.

"I'm a Nigerian, I was born a Nigerian, in between I am a Malian. I mourned my husband the Nigerian way. When you are in distress, you go back to the womb, and the first language is what one resorts to. I mourned him my own way," said Dr. Barbara.

"According to our custom, I had to mourn him in two ways. My husband was more than 70 years. [In our culture], the farther away you are from 70 [years of age], the more the rejoicing. Please celebrate his life," she said.

At the same time, Dr. Barbara apologised to the people of Yala, who were locked out of Magoha's home upon the arrival of his body, saying the funeral handlers, some Nigerian, were unaware of the Luo traditions.

"I want to apologise to the wananchi about what happened yesterday (Friday, February 10), when there was a little fracas when I went into the home.

"Some people don't know that it is a Luo custom that when the widow opens the gate, the mourners are allowed to enter and mourn. So, the gates were closed, and I could understand the pain of the mourners. I am extremely sorry for that," she said.

Dr. Barbara said she doesn't wish to see a repeat of the same during Magoha's interment later today (Saturday, February 11).

"My husband was a classy man, and I hope that mantle will fall on the same people who came to mourn [him] yesterday; that they would now continue in that same fashion of being classy, because they stopped being rowdy [yesterday].

"And as we go to inter my husband this afternoon, please come home, sit down and mourn, and please let it be in a classy fashion, no rowdiness. I'd really appreciate that."

Dr. Barbara also clarified on who will be at the gravesite, saying the homestead cannot accommodate a large number of people at the same time.

"The interment site cannot accommodate all of us, but the field is large enough. Please, let it be the inner Magoha family [who will be at the burial site]. I would ask you to please allow the Magohas to pay their last respects to their father, their second father, friend and confidant."

Magoha died in Nairobi aged 71 on January 24, 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest.