Comedian and former radio host Oga Obinna recently made his second appearance on the Mic Cheque podcast, hosted by Chaxy, Mariah, and Mwas.
While the episode was filled with jokes and banter, the conversation took a serious turn when Obinna opened up about his childhood trauma and its lasting impact on his life.
A Difficult Relationship with His Father
Obinna began by discussing how he processed his traumatic past, explaining that his relationship with his father was strained from a young age.
“I had to shove it down into the darkest place and ignore everything for a while. But at some point, I started lashing out. Back then, I was young and didn’t understand what was happening to me,” he shared.
Despite being the youngest in his family, Obinna revealed that he was treated the harshest, often facing unfair punishments compared to his older siblings.
“I was the smartest kid in my house. I used to be number one in class. But when I got to Form One, my grades dropped, and sometimes I was among the last in class. That made my dad very angry, and he used to beat me—even when I wasn’t in the wrong,” he recounted.
His father’s strict and sometimes cruel discipline extended beyond beatings. Obinna said he was often denied food as a form of punishment, leaving him to rely on his mother for survival.
“My mom used to sneak me food because my dad had refused to let me eat,” he recalled.
Running Away from Home
At one point, things became unbearable, and Obinna made the bold decision to run away from home.
The breaking point came when he stole and sold maize stalks from his father’s farm to buy food, which resulted in his father threatening to kill him.
“I sold my mom’s phone for 700 shillings. She gave me the money while crying after I told her I was running away because Dad wanted to kill me,” he revealed.
With that money, Obinna boarded a train to Kisumu and later took a bus to Nairobi, where he spent the entire journey standing due to lack of a proper ticket.
Forgiveness and Moving Forward
Despite the pain and struggles he endured, Obinna shared that he has since forgiven his father. However, their relationship remains distant.
“We talk occasionally, but not like before. Honestly, I did everything to get my dad’s approval,” he admitted.
by KELVIN NJENGA
