How to Disrupt Yourself

KIMANI MARUGE: THE CAPTAIN WHO LIVES FOREVER 3

Today, we travel to Kenya located in East Africa to visit a superhero that has sent a powerful message to the world which is: It’s not too late to go to school.

Let me introduce you to Kimani Arthur Maruge.

Kimani Arthur Maruge claimed to be born in 1920 and holds the Guinness World record for being the oldest person to start primary school – he enrolled in the first grade on January 12, 2004 at the age of 84.

Maruge attended Kapkenduiywo Primary School in Eldoret, Kenya; he said that the government's announcement of universal and free elementary education in 2003 prompted him to enroll.

Maruge met resistance from the staff of the school, when he tried to enroll in school after the Kenyan government declared free public education for all Kenyans.

 They told him that he has no pencil and all students need a pencil and notebook.  (The truth of the matter is that the school provided pencils and notebooks for the students)

When he returned with a pencil and notebook, he was told that he must have a school uniform – which included shorts, knee socks and shoes. 

Maruge sold one of his goats to buy pants that he cut into shorts.  

He purchased a pair of knee socks and shoes.  He returned to the school – an 84 year old man dressed as a child. Local drunks taunted him, but he continued in his quest to get an education.

Two years after he enrolled into school, precisely in 2005 Maruge, who was a model student, was elected head boy of his school.

In the same year 2005, September to be precise, Maruge boarded a plane for the first time in his life, and headed to New York City to address the United Nations Millennium Development Summit on the importance of free primary education.

Today, Maruge is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest person to ever matriculate in a primary school. 

He is best known for his quote which says: “If I can’t read, I am like a goat.”

In 2008, he lived in a refugee camp during the 2007-2008 Kenya post-election violence and he trekked four kilometers from the camp to school every day, but still attended classes every day.

In June 2008, Maruge was forced to withdraw from school and relocated to a retirement home for senior citizens.

However, soon after, on June 10, 2008, Maruge enrolled once again into Standard 6 at the Marura primary school, located in the Kariobangi area of Nairobi.

Maruge died on August 14, 2009 of stomach cancer, at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. He was buried at his farm in Subukia.

Speakers gave a glowing tribute to Maruge describing him as a hero and an inspiration to learners.

Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Director General Mugo Kibati said Maruge’s curtain had closed with a string of achievements, which will significantly inspire Kenyans and the world.

 "If we stay focused like Mzee Maruge, we shall exceed the goals of Vision 2030 and indeed become a global powerhouse," he said.

The Nakuru Town MP Lee Kinyanjui said a monument would be erected at the burial site in the hero’s honour.

My Conclusion: Maruge is a super hero who will be remembered after his death for his humility and for inspiring the United Nations and the world that it’s never too late to go back to school.

So I ask you this salient question: when last did you go back to the school to acquire new skills?

My humble advise is never stop learning, in fact I recommend that you invest  10% of your earnings into buying books, attending seminars and trainings to get to know more. 

That’s wisdom that you will also find in 18^th century classic: “The richest man in Babylon”

Thank you for reading.

P.S: If you want to know more about Maruge’s travails, please kindly get a copy of Justin Chadwick’s video titled: “The First Grader”

Culled from Many sources ranging: from Wikipedia, Google, BBC, standardmedia.co.ke and budbilanich.com.