By Albert Nyakundi Amenya aka The Banana Peddler
Lois Otieno should be avoided by every right thinking common Mwananchi. He is paying for his sins. His plight nevertheless, reminds me of the story of Harman and Mordecai as recorded in the Holy Book. The villain of the narrative is Haman – an arrogant, vile, archetype of evil. The allegory of Haman is emblematic of the story of Louis Otieno, the man who once vainly believed he would command the stars. During his prime time when he was a celebrity, people showered Louis with saintly praises that made him chesty.
For those who did not know Louis beyond the screen, he was one of the most insanely irresponsible fellows. He treated the hoi polloi like sharecroppers and low lives. Now, the same commoners he looked down on are the ones he expects to jumpstart him so that he can go back to his status and leave them down there.
When the sufferers greeted him on the streets, the idiot expressed a scornful smile. He smiled contemptuously. One thing he forgot, there were others like him who thought they held the keys to the pearly gates until they ended up disastrously and expired ignominiously.
Before Louis, there is this evidently pulchritudinous girl who eloped to Australia with some cultish thug with funny names. Her name was Esther Arunga and the Ninja’s was Quincy Timberlake. Esther disobeyed her elders and she is now paying for it. The Ninja sacrificed their son and disappeared to hell, leaving Esther in shit. The rest is history.
Yesterday, my boss jogged my memory when he reminded me how Louis got a waitress who had humbly requested for a selfie with him, fired. He ordered the manager to sack the lady or he/Louis himself quits. The manager had no choice but to bootlick the devil and sack the poor girl. It is an open secret that back then; Louis represented the new face of true impunity.
When we talk of Louis Otieno, we are talking about a man who, during his heydays as a renowned news anchor, thought he was more catholic than the Pope himself. This is the man who thought he was more Christian than Jesus himself. This is the man who lived a life beyond his income.
This is the man who used his famousness to victimize ladies. This is the man who spent more than what he earned, forgetting that there was no tree in his father’s compound that grew money. This man lacked the pedigree of integrity, vision and discipline. Is this not the case of “A fool and his money are soon parted?”
For Louis Otieno, let him bite in peace, the bitter fruit of wickedness. I won’t shed any crocodile tear for him. Why would I? Why would I sympathize with the man who during his prime time, failed to cut his coat according to his cloth at the time when his needs were increasing just as his incomes were dwindling?
Why would I commiserate with an idiot who deliberately elected not to live within his income, live in a home he could pay for, drive a car that he would maintain, travel when he needed (not when he wanted), eat smart, drink smart and send his child to schools he could afford?
Why would I shed a tear over someone who willingly lived in a fool’s paradise by letting his character endear him to the devil? Why would I?
Louis was too pessimistic to be a fearless. Too undetermined to be a conqueror and too negative to be positive. He lacked both courage and doggedness and charisma.
By exhibiting total arrogance and pride, he disqualified himself as a person whose duties can be of any reckon. He would not be respected because he had no image to protect. He took pleasure in hiding behind his celebrity status to damage.
I readily countenance here that Louis was not worth his onions. He was just a villain hiding to pillory other humans. He pretended to be an anti-corruption crusader. He masqueraded as the fighter for the progress of his country. All through his shows, he made everyone believe he hated corruption. He purportedly took on the high and the mighty in the society all in vain.
When he was the man of the moment, his colleagues were his first victims. He hurled oral stones at them and even at his bosses. He jumped from one media house to another. He abdicated his duties without notice.
Nonetheless, I have a premonition that the situation Louis is faced with, awaits some Luo public figures. For now, I will mention Eric Omondi and Ringtone. Eric is currently leading the kind of ruinous life Louis was leading.
My piece of advice to Louis Otieno, I they say “A watched pot never boils” and Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves” Nobody can get you out of the woods at this moment except God. Please be more careful. When life or health is lost, everything else is lost.
So, my brother, pipe down. Wake up to reality. Return to the Supreme Being – through the Church because I believe you are a Christian. Confess your sins and turn over a new leaf. The Holy book offer workable solutions to all life’s problems including yours. If God gets you out of this mess which I am sure he will, you will be the guiding light someday. If you didn’t know: There is God o!
albertamenya@yahoo.com
(The writer sells Bananas in the streets of Kisii Town)
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