Former Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nyagah's eldest son Jeremiah Mwaniki had a lot to say about his late father during the former presidential candidate's burial on Saturday, December 19, 2020.
Mwaniki, 43, who is named after his grandfather, revealed that growing up, he and his siblings had learned five key lessons from their father.
"I am very grateful for the 43 years I got to spend with my father and I accept God's plan," Mwaniki stated.
He admitted that he had thought to himself that as a way of paying tribute to his father, he shares with Kenyans some of the life lessons he was taught by his father.
"The first one is a very important lesson for every man, which is to iron a suit. Many do not know this, but our father would not allow other people to iron his suits. That was a criminal offense.
"Our Sunday afternoons always had us watching him iron his suits and shirts," Mwaniki narrated, noting that he had given his sons the same lesson.
He further revealed that he personally ironed the suit that his father had been laid to rest in.
For the second lesson, Mwaniki recounted that his father made it clear to him every week, as did his godfather, Kisumu Governor Professor Anyang' Nyong'o, that there was no school in the Republic of Kenya like Alliance High School.
"Thankfully, since 2013, every week my father used to say this to me, I was able to respond to him. I think he was a bit disappointed I did not follow in his footsteps and those of his father," Mwaniki stated, noting that Alliance High School was very dear to him.
"In 2013, I told him St. Mary's School made it to State House before Alliance," he joked, in reference to St. Mary's alumni, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who won in an election his late father also contested, coming third after Raila Odinga.
His third lesson was rather a heads up in the event he ever ended up on the wrong side during a protest. He revealed that his father taught him how he could avoid adverse effects from teargas.
"I quote, Mwaniki if you are going to a place where there is going to be tear gas you must carry toothpaste.
"You put the toothpaste under the eyes, under the nose, so that it reduces the effect of the tear gas," Mwaniki stated, quoting his father.
The former Cabinet minister's son revealed that he along with his siblings were also taught how to salute. He attributed the lesson to his father's boyhood dream of being a soldier.
Mwaniki narrated that more often than not, his father rued his missed opportunity at joining the military. He revealed that as they were growing up, his father gave them a rallying commentary on the ranks, and promotions he would have achieved had he joined the army.
"This led me to conclude that the real reason he ran for the presidency in 2017 was that he was 69 at the time, and the only way he could get into the military at the time was as Commander In Chief," Mwaniki joked.
He, however, withheld the fifth lesson, noting that it was an official Nyagah family trade secret.
Mwaniki urged members of the public to adhere to the set directives in the fight against Covid-19, as often called for by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
"My father was a very strong man. He walked 10 km every morning at 5 am. Covid-19 took him in two weeks. CS Kagwe has been telling us all year, this virus is real," Mwaniki stated, urging Kenyans to take the pandemic seriously.
