Jeff Koinange reflects on life without a father figure
Veteran media personality Jeff Koinange is one of the most admired journalists in Kenya with a track record spanning three decades in the media industry.
Having earned a name for himself in the limelight for not only bearing skills of witty news reporting but also having a voice that has been described by many as enticing to the ear, Koinange has inspired curiosity in his fans as to how his journey to fame has been like.
In a recent interview with Grace Msalame on Mali, the media personality shared a little about what it has been like growing up without a father figure and being raised by his mother alone, alongside his siblings.
“It was tough, and my mum tried her best to be that mentor and guide. And a lot of times, especially when you head out to the world it hits you there’s no father figure, something is missing,” said Koinange.
He went on to say that in as much as growing up without one’s biological father being present is hard, it was paramount for him to move on and find other figures to look up to.
“But you have to keep moving on, you have to keep finding something that’ll inspire you, whether it’s movie figures, politicians, or people you grew up around. It took a while,” he said.
He added that raising his son gives him a feel of what he never had the privilege of experiencing when he was growing up, which only inspires him to raise him with intentionality.
“And while I am raising my son I keep telling myself I did not have this, so I am extremely intentional about raising him. He’s lucky to have both parents,” he added.
On sharing the one piece of advice that he would give young journalists or content creators who look up to him and strive to achieve his level of success, Koinange insisted that consistency and discipline are the values that have kept him relevant in his craft and years of a triumphant career.
“People have to remember that the core business, the foundation has to be what it is which is journalism. Yes, you can create content but you need to create it all the time. You can do a great story today, and everybody will be talking about it, but then what are you going to do tomorrow?”
He added; “You have to be consistent. Think about longevity. You have to be consistent. If you want people out there to keep coming back to you, keep giving them something to come back to. Also practice discipline, even when things get tough, and they will, keep going no matter what. Things get better,” said Koinange.
Jeff’s dad Mbiyu Koinange, a powerful politician in mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s cabinet, passed on when he was barely three years.
Also read: Chinese brand Xiaomi launches smartphone model
Kalonzo gives one condition for Azimio to call off demonstrations