Commentaries
Music rescues pauper from abyss of despair
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- Published on Tuesday, 09 September 2008 05:48
He also sings to promote HIV/Aids awareness as well as exalting importance of unity in society. His informative songs have made him a household name in Gusiiland, and his fame is spreading as radio stations play his songs regularly.
Explaining why he chose the tattered costume, Ong’eng’o says: "I used to wear ‘hand-me-down’, tattered uniforms in primary school. There is no time my parents ever bought me school uniform." His costume, he says, are largely symbolic, reminding him of his poor past.
Ong’eng’o almost missed out on secondary education when his parents could not raise the school fees for Gienchere Secondary School, where he had been admitted. "It is my songs, that have made my life. Life challenges forced me to identify and exploit my talent in music," says Ong’eng’o who turned to music to make ends meet.
Crowds of people
As he performed in various markets in Kisii, his music attracted crowds of people who offered him money. Ong’eng’o says he managed to raise enough of these charitable donations in two weeks to pay for his first term. "I would take time off to sing during market days to raise money for fees and other needs. This took up much of the time I should have been in class," he recalls.
But the pain of his past life has come to pass as he diversified his income generation avenues by venturing into other businesses. The musician, 24, is making good money out of them. Besides having installed his production studios, he has also bought a van to transport him and his band to various venues for performances.
He has also started an executive taxi business in Eldoret. "I’ve decided to go into business, so that when I am not performing I am doing something useful," he says. He attributes his fame and success to his fans’ continued support for him and his endeavours. One of them bought him a digital production suite.
Ong’eng’o has produced three albums with the most famous, Entururu (fifty cents), selling widely and raking in returns of as much as Sh5 million. His other two albums are Ontimbu, Jirani na Matatizo and Rikurunyau. "I started my music life in Kisumu, before I moved to Kisii. My songs are meant to educate, inform and create awareness on social issues," he says.
His music has been received widely in not only his home town but has also attracted a big following in the larger western Kenya region. His albums are also doing well in Mwanza and other parts of Tanzania where he gives live performances on invitation. A vernacular station, Egesa FM, has now hired the musician to co-host an evening comedy programme Entabanania with station presenter Alice Chai.
