How I became Luo Ker - Nyandiko Ong'adi speaks

Growing up at Kakwajuok-Maguti village, along the shores of Lake Victoria, Mzee Nyandiko Ong'adi had no idea that he would one day lead the Luo nation as Ker (Luo Council of Elders chairman)

But a single encounter with the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya's first Vice President had a huge impact on him.

Mzee Nyandiko Ong'adi, born in 1936 first met Oginga while he was staying with his elder brother who was working as a chief in Jinja, Uganda in the early 60s.

"I had gone to Jinja where my elder brother Charles Awino was a chief," he told this writer on Sunday during an interview with the Star at his Kendu Bay home.

According to Ker Nyandiko, Jaramogi would make routine visits to the neighboring East African countries to trace the Luo roots and also to mobilize funds for various development initiatives.

These undertakings targeted to empower the Luo nation back home economically.

"In Uganda, the Kenyan Luos would converge at my brother's home during such visits," Nyandiko said.

His elder brother, a chief in the Masese area was influential and would occasionally help to secure the release of Kenyans arrested there.

"Kenyan Luos in Uganda, and the rest of the neighbouring countries would collect money which went into buying assets and property for the Luo Union back home through a trading company that Oginga was behind its establishment," he said.

In 1961, Nyandiko went to Mwanza. He lived there briefly before moving to Nasio island and later settled in Kibara in Tanzania.

He had secured a tailoring job at a cloth line owned by some Arab businessmen.

"I worked there until 1963 when Kenya became independent," he said.

While in Tanzania, he served as the treasurer of the now-defunct Luo Union in Tanzania.

As a treasurer of the union, Nyandiko had close interactions with the late Jaramogi.

His path to cultural leadership had been paved.

The sixth-born child, in a family of 11 children, Nyandiko's parents were against formal education.

"They did not know the value of going to school at the time," he said.

Nonetheless, he enrolled at Gendia and Kotieno-Gumba primary schools.

But he would later drop out of School in 1949.

Reason?

" I fought with a pupil who was related to the head teacher. I dropped out after this incident," he said.

Nyandiko says he was a great wrestler.

"I was a wrestler. I would take part in the annual community wrestling competitions," he disclosed.

"I floored many of my opponents. Koyo Opien (a former Luo Ker was my sponsor) I beat my opponents and competed up to the provincial level," he added.

Having abandoned education, the young Nyandiko left his village in search of employment in town.

"I went to look for a job in Nakuru and immediately secured one as a supervisor at a firm which was owned by an Asian businessman," he remembered with nostalgia.

He would later join a close village mate who was working at a construction firm in Nairobi as a clerk.

"I left the job without even earning a salary and went back to my village where I then trained as a tailor and operated at Kendu Old Town until 1959," he said.

In 1964, having worked in Tanzania and Uganda, Nyandiko decided it was time to go back to his rural home.

"Back at home, I resumed my tailoring business," he said.

However, life in the village did not favor him and in 1969, he went to Kisumu where he started a small business at Jubilee market.

"An old friend helped me to get a stall at the market through Ezra Gumbe who was once a Kisumu Mayor," he recalled.

His friend also helped him to get a Municipal house at Ondiek estate where the late Opiyo Otondi was his neighbour.

"Washington Mwatha who was an uncle to former Kisumu governor Jack Ranguma gave me another stall where I operated a mini shop," he added.

By the fall of 1973, Damianus Amenya, an assistant chief of his rural sub-location in Kakwajuok, retired.

The elders from his sub-location summoned him back to the village.

"They identified me and asked that I go for an interview. We were five and I emerged the best after the interviews," he said.

As the new assistant chief, Nyandiko was covering a vast area that included Kosele where the current Rachuonyo sub-county headquarters is located.

He went on to serve as assistant chief for 18 years.

This gave him time for other community assignments.

"My Kadwet Clan of Karachuonyo then elected me as their chairman to represent them at the Luo Council of Elders," he added.

His journey to the leadership of the cultural outfit had just been launched.

" When the late Raiga Ogalo became Luo Council of Elders chairman, we had a meeting at Kosele where again, I was elected as the chairman representing the greater Karachuonyo that extends to the borders of Sondu," he said.

He would remain the chairman, representing the larger Karachuonyo in the council from 2006 to 2013.

"Subsequently, I was elected to represent the entire Homa Bay County as their chairman with the advent of devolution," he added.

When Riaga died, a council meeting was held to get a replacement according to Nyandiko.

The meeting was held at Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu according to Nyandiko and Adera Osawa ( from Migori) was the convener of the Secretary-General at the time.

But Nyadiko alleges that before Raiga died, political interferences from the local politicians had begun.

"A section of Luo Nyanza MPs convened a meeting at Awendo following a split and the late Willis Otondi was installed as Ker in contravention of the council rules," he noted.

"Earlier, the Luo MPs, led by the late Otieno Kajwang' convened a meeting at a Kisumu hotel where a plot to kick out Riaga was hatched," he said.

When elders close to Ker Riaga heard of the new development, a decision to move to court to stall the changes was made.

"It was me who went to court to stop the installation of Otondi in Kisumu when the other elders feared being involved in the court matter," he said.

" We felt this was a coup and we had to move quickly," he added.

The matter that dragged into court was later determined in favor of Riaga.

"When he finally died while in office In August 2015, we convened to get a successor," he said.

Nyandiko explained that he was made acting Ker from 2015 to 2019 when he was officially installed.

"I was expected to be interim chairman for just three months before a new Ker is picked but the wrangles interfered with the transition processes," he said.

"After three months of acting we reconvened again at Ofafa but the Otondi faction didn't turn up," he said.

On the 29th of September 2019 Nyandiko was installed as Ker officially.

" I was coronated at Alaw Rachuonyo. It was done in the open by elder Onduu Agai who was once a Kisumu Mayor," he said.

Who are the past holders of the office of Ker?

" Ramogi Olum had his son Ramogi Ajwang' who was the first Ker. He lived in Kit Gum in Uganda before he moved to the present-day Got Ramogi in Siaya County," he said.

It is widely believed that the Luos moved from southern Sudan through Uganda, from the 14th to the 16th Century, and settled in Kenya under different leaderships such as Joka Jok, Joka Owiny, and Joka Omolo.

This makes Got Ramogi forest an important cradle for the Luo settlement in Kenya.

According to Ker Nyandiko, the issue of Ker took a lull for some time and was revived later by Jaramogi who also became Ker.

"He had not plunged into politics at the time he became Ker," Nyandiko said.

When he joined politics, he left the seat according to Mzee Nyandiko.

The following people served at different times as Luo Ker in the past.

William Ouko ( Ugenya), Joel Omer, (Karachuonyo Agoro) , Paul Mboya Karachuonyo), Adala Otuko( Gem), Koyo Opien ( Karachuonyo) who was ker for only five months then he died.

Riaga ( Karachuonyo) and Nyandiko. He doesn't recognize the late Otondi and now Odungi Randa as Luo Ker.

According to Nyandiko, the role of the holder of the office of Ker is mainly to solve disputes, bring peace, and unite people.

"We are expected to settle disputes between communities, Iron out differences such as border disputes among other roles," he pointed out.

He said Ker also ensures widows and the less fortunate in the community have a voice.

"Ker should be neutral during any political contest. After the contest, Ker is expected to support the winner," he said.

He said Ker also must protect the community assets.

" Such properties, acquired in the name of the community are held in trust by the council through a trustee. In our case we have properties spread all over the region even in the neighbouring East African countries," he said.