Via Captn Collins Wanderi - LESSON 4: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & ENTERPRISE-Discern and Exploit Your Natural Talent; it is the Easiest Way to Riches & Fame. In 1995 a group of Students in University of Nairobi, Faculty of Law, at Parklands Campus found themselves with a lot of time in their hands during their 3rd Year of study. Having gone through the grueling and course-crowded 1st and 2nd years, their 3rd year was basically idyllic and many joined voluntary outfits such as “Take the Law to the People” and “Students of Law & Diplomacy (SOLAD)” among others. The purpose of these groups was to offer free legal aid & education to members of the general public. Members of SOLAD led by JO, CM, JN, KM, SM, JM, AWM, JTR, JAO and GY inter alia were involved in Inter-University debates and Moot-Court Competitions (within East Africa). They were also using drama to educate the public. Kituo cha Sheria and other Civic Education groups often invited and paid them stipends for participating in Legal Education Clinics. This part-time voluntary activity by the students attracted the attention of the then Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Kivutha Kibwana who offered to moderate their debates. He also advised them to write scripts enacting real-life court drama which could be used to educate the public. JO, CM & JN were tasked to write the first script which was edited by the Dean. When it was first acted, the response was so good that the then Principal of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences, UON, Prof. Joseph Nyasani who was then also a part-time newscaster with Kenya Broadcasting Corporation offered to share it with managers of KBC Television. The Head of KBC TV broadcasting was very impressed with the script and appointed Mr. Mwaita Kiseu to work on the modalities of having the play produced for TV broadcast. Auditions were done at the Faculty of Law and this is how “Burden of Proof” a TV court-room drama series which was aired by KBC TV in 1995 and 1996 was born. The students used NEAR ZERO capital to create, enact & produce this for TV broadcast! The drama series received a lot of accolades and was just as popular as “Vioja Mahakamani”. KBC used to pay the student actors the sum of Ksh. 1600/- for every episode of “Burden of Proof” which was a lot of money then. Needless to say, members of the cast of Burden of Proof became household names and gained a lot of popularity and fame especially in Rural Urban Centers where KBC was the only available TV Channel then. The actors also became very good orators and articulate in presentation skills. They stopped acting after leaving UON to join the Kenya School of Law but the students who took over from them were not as enthusiastic on theatre like the pioneers and Burden of Proof soon went off air. After graduating from University most of these actors were head-hunted by elite law firms in the country which wanted to cash in on the fame of these “celebrities” while some were offered full scholarships to further their studies abroad. UPDATE: Just for spending their free time wisely, volunteering and harnessing heir natural (God given) talents the original cast of “Burden of Proof” got noticed by sponsors and people who matter and have always led the pack among their peers who graduated in 1996. 2 of them are now Judges of the High Court, 2 are full university professors; 1 is a Company Secretary for a leading multinational while a good number are major partners in leading law firms. LESSONS: 1. Voluntary and part time activities pay big time for young people. We all know that the most famous, wealthy and influential people in this world are Businesspeople; Sportspeople; Writers, Movie Actors; Politicians; Musicians and Religious Clerics. These are what we can term as “default” or “part-time” professions yet they earn the most money and fame. Sportspeople use their natural talents (legs or hands) to make money; Politicians, Musicians & Religious Clerics use the power of their tongues to hold crowds, sway them; create followers and make money and fame! Writers use their brain power and the might of the pen to make money! Movie actors use their natural talents; minds, bodies and tongues too……you all know that Lupita Nyong’o is now more famous that her father, the Senator! 2. Every human being was born and is endowed with a natural talent! What is yours and what are you using it for? Just how do you spend your free time; watching productions, art and sports created by other people who are using their natural talents? QUIP: Once Kenya fully adopts the Digital Platform for TV broadcasting there will be a surge in the demand for digital content. Just like in Nigeria and very recently Tanzania, theater and drama will become the new frontiers for investment and employment for young people who are ready to discern and exploit their natural talents. Are you ready to create, enact and produce?
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 08:45:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015