I soldiered on; see what your daughters have become – Akothee to first baby daddy

Kenyan musician Akothee on Friday evening had a message for the father of her daughters, who ditched her in 2006.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s 10 Over 10 show on Friday, April 5, Akothee, whose real name is Esther Akoth, said she harbours no ill feelings against her ex-lover.

Akothee made that statement right after her firstborn daughter, Vesha Shailan Okello, introduced herself.

“Okello is my sweetheart. He was my first boyfriend. Wherever you are, daddy, we are proud of you. You see, your daughter is [studying] at Strathmore [University]… You must come and pat me on the back. Tell your wife to wait a bit…,” said Akothee amid a thunderous laughter.

Akothee was born to a county administrator father and politician mother. The singer, who grew up in Migori, is the first daughter in her family.

Though her mother was very loving, Akothee went through a rebellious phase in high school which led to her early “marriage”.

“I was in Form Two at Nyabisawa Girls’ High School, when I decided to rebel. When I was 14 I fell in love with a guy who was studying in the neighbouring boys’ school. He used to write me letters that drove me crazy. I can even remember he used to write on blue foolscap,”Akothee told Citizen Digital in a past interview.

Her teenage love affair became serious and she decided to run away with her boyfriend.

“Love overwhelmed me and so I eloped with him. My parents tried to get me back home, but I refused. Once a Luo has made up her mind, who will say no?” posed the musician.

After running away from home, she went to live with her “mother-in-law” at Awendo in Migori County.

“I served as a house girl to my mum-in-law for seven years.  I was doing all the house chores at that tender age. All that time, my husband was in school learning.  He completed high school and even joined campus while I was still at his mum’s place,” she said.

She conceived and gave birth to her first born daughter at her parents-in-law’s houses.

Their relationship went sour and she was sent packing by her in-laws in 2000.

Akothee gave birth to her first born at the age of 14, second born at 15 and third born at 16.

Her second born daughter later succumbed to illness because Akothee could not raise enough money to take her to hospital.

She got her fourth born in the same relationship in 2000.

After she left her mum-in-law’s home, she went to live at Kanga where she started an omena business to raise money for her school fees and family upkeep.

In 2003, her husband completed his university course. The two got back together and took care of their children as Akothee went back to school.

“I decided to go complete my fourth form at Kanyasrega High school. I would drop the kids at kindergarten before proceeding to school. In the evening I would pick them up from the teacher’s house, take them home and go sell my omena for one hour,” the singer said.

When Akothee completed her secondary school education, she joined her husband who had then landed a job in Nairobi.

Their life was a humble one, the singer disclosed. Akothee recalled friends giving them simple household items such as mwikos, sufurias, and mattresses.

Sadly, her husband left her for another woman when he started getting wealthy.

“Maybe I am not a romantic woman, and so he got bored with me on October 6, 2006 and dumped me with our three kids,” said Akothee.

The musician would, thereafter, relocate to Mombasa, where she found her way into taxi business, which steered her toward economic prosperity that she enjoys till date.

Akothee has two other young children, all boys, from subsequent relationships.