Media personality Felix Odiwuor, commonly identified as Jalang'o landed his biggest emceeing gig yet, all thanks to a chance meeting when his career had just taken root.
Sharing his story with Jeff Koinange on Hot 96 FM on January 16, 2018, Jalang'o recalled when he met a man who wanted him to mentor his daughter to become a professional actress.
"A friend of mine, John Mwirigi, a managing director somewhere at the moment, came to the Kenya National Theatre holding the hand of a young girl and told me that she wanted to pursue a career in acting before joining campus. At the time, we had an office at the former British Council which was right next to the theatre," Jalang'o recollected.
Jalang'o told Jeff that on any other time, he would have dismissed them for terming acting as an activity someone does while waiting for bigger opportunities.
"It is demoralizing to us who have taken acting as a career, so I told her that unless she planned to be there for long, there was no need to attempt acting," he stated.
With the insistence of Mwirigi, however, Jalang'o took her under his wings and trained her till she was ready to take to the stage, her first gig being a musical performed at the same theatre.
"The musical was titled Joseph and the Technicolour Dream Coat. The daughter performed and the parents were full of glee," Jalango recounted.
He stated that two years after the play, he had started emceeing at various functions and he heard about an upcoming event then decided to try his luck with the organising committee.
"I walked into the room, and in there, the guy who would decide whether I got the gig or not, was Mwirigi. While we knew each other, I did not make it evident and during the interview, he pummelled me with questions to gauge whether I was the best fit," he recalled.
Jalang'o told Jeff that when he got out of the room, however, he got a text from Mwirigi asking him if he could recall his face, and Jalang'o told him that he did, but decided to be professional about it.
"He told me, whatever happens, you will be the emcee at our event and true to his word, for seven straight years, I have been the host at the event. The only thing that changed was the co-host every year, but I have always been the common factor in that event," he stated.
"Whenever you meet someone, treat them the best way possible. Don't look down on anyone. Just a bit of arrogance can cost you. You never know who you are talking to," he concluded.
