Former Vice-President Moody Awori and his siblings fondly remember their father, the late Canon Yeremiah Musungu Awori, as a strict disciplinarian who made them the success that they are today, 50 years after his death.
Their home was like a combination of a boarding school and a military barracks.
Uncle Moody, as he is fondly referred to, recalls how his father embraced Christianity and education, and made it his business to spread them starting from his home.
Says the former Funyula MP: “Dad had been introduced to small-scale modern agriculture that he practiced and encouraged neighbours to follow suit. With a home comprising between 50 and 80 people, there was no shortage of workers.”
Canon Awori spoke six languages: English, Kiswahili, Luhya, Dholuo, Luganda and Samia.
There was no differentiation in work among the 10 brothers and eight sisters. To maintain order, discipline had to be enforced.
“Our father helped spread Christianity and education to a large area of Western region in Kenya. He helped build hundreds of churches and schools during his lifetime,” Awori recalls.
"On culture, our father valued the African one and cautioned against swallowing everything foreign. Dad was a man full of love and he gave it to all and sundry. I feel blessed in being one of his offsprings.”
CHRISTINE HAYANGA
Our father had a large family which included foster children, relatives and many other people under his care, so he believed that everyone in his household should participate in bringing food to the table.
Our father cared for the community. His dress code was khaki shorts/trousers, gumboots and a large hat when he was working in the shamba and when visiting parishes or attending locational chief’s meetings he would wear expensive three- piece suits.
Our father was a good storyteller. In the African folklore about animals, each story/animal depicted something or a message.
Our father was a strict disciplinarian and he never tolerated idle talk or lazy people. He taught us to remember those in need of help.
DR MARY OKELLO
Our father was a very well-focused man for his age and time. He rarely made important decisions based on impulse, thanks to his robust training and tutelage under British and Baganda missionaries.
Discipline was at the core of his work ethic and this enabled him to manage his large family that comprised not just his own children but also foster children, relatives and many others.
As far as work was concerned, he had one simple mantra, which was: If you can’t do a good job and to the best of your ability then don’t do it; let someone else do it.
My father had an open mind and a big heart and welcomed new ideas and he had an open door policy to his home.
The enormous contribution which the former Vice President made years later in setting up and ably leading the Association of the Physically Disabled in Kenya for nearly half a century did not come from the blues. He had grown up seeing this virtue on the home front.
My other memory of my father was his good taste for clothes, cars and other finer things in life.
MIKE ODERA (grandson)
My earliest recollection of grandpa Awori or Kuka wa Nambale as we fondly referred to him was his stature as a giant of a man, towering over everybody in the homestead. He had a commanding voice that invariably would be issuing orders to those around him, sending them running helter-skelter to accomplish the task he might have given them.
One of his favourite questions to his grandchildren was what class they were in, and quite often before you could answer he would tell you to work hard and be number one in your class.
As a grandchild, I will always remember him for his generosity, his love for others, his strong faith in God and his desire to see his family and those around him achieve greatness.
WINIFRED WANGALWA
There was a lot that dad instilled in all his children, but some of the virtues which have served her well are: To always include God in all our plans and success would be assured. We were also to respect and value the importance of family.
And lastly: Take every opportunity to learn as much as possible about different spheres of life and you will live a fulfilled and independent life.
WILLIS AWORI
Fondest memories will vary from each member of the family. Mine was witnessing the canon's swearing-in ceremony as the vice chairman of the Elgon Nyanza African District Council.
Best legacy was seeing his ideas come to fruition such as his advocacy for the rights of women and opposition to some of the retrogressive cultural practices such as wife inheritance.
Our family success could be attributed to the fact that our parents always instilled in us values such as humility, self-discipline and hard work.
We are also proud to see the second and third generation of our dad's descendants take up challenging roles with gusto through merit.
Edited by Henry Makori
