I call him Ba. He nicknamed me ‘Wakitanga’, a name that was given to my grandfather whom I grew up hearing stories about how generous he was. I can recall Ba visiting me in primary school with his ‘right-hand man’ Al-Amin Mazurui who is special in Ba’s life. He even named me, his son, Al-Amin Mutunga.
I have always been that child that doesn’t ask questions, but thanks to the internet, 2011 when Ba was the Chief Justice of the republic of Kenya, I got to learn so much about him. Luckily then I was about to complete my high school education and I was able to interact with him a lot more and create memories.
Long drives, discussing football. He loves Messi. I am a die-hard fan of Arsenal. We analyze games and compare them with how legendary footballers like Pele and Maradona would play. I have a feeling that he was a Manchester United fan but he says he only watches players from different teams. I think he doesn’t want me to make fun of him when his team loses. I said maybe, hehe…
I have a production company named Wakitanga Visuals. A lot of support has come from Ba. I am grateful everyday for the many selfless acts he has done for me. I share crazy ideas with him that he always finds a way to respond to and support. Lucky bit, I was able to work in the Human Rights world with him. Trust me, I would be photographing and the next minute he would introduce me to his friends and praise my skills. This was amazing, just the way he accepts what I do and gives me a chance to practice it.
‘Inspiring the youth to create better tomorrows.’ That’s his whatsapp status. He has constantly been working with things that impact society positively. I got a job at Pawa254, an organization that uses art for social change. He was one of the community members who would come to give talks, support the artists. He loved to listen to Juliani, a hip hop artist who creatively rapped about societal issues.
My Father is Different!
As everyone likes to believe that their father is different, so do I.
Nonetheless, this conviction is not merely based on the love I have for him, but also because of his personality. My father is quite disciplined in all aspects of life. He is the one who taught me to always practice discipline no matter what work I do.