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EUGENE, USA, Sep 9 – During my brief stay in Oregon while covering the 2022 World Athletics Championships, I struck up a conversation with a group of innovative America-based Kenyan fans and scholars who graced the global sporting fixture at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene.
The Kenyans based in Oregon had graced the world-famous track and field facility in Eugene to extend their much-needed support to our revered sprint, middle and long distance runners.
Capital FM Sport had the privilege to witness firsthand how Kenyans go about their side hustles in the diaspora.
Robert Otieno Apiyo, a career radio journalist and PHD Communication student at the University of Oregon was one of the scholars I bumped into during the prestigious global championships in the wake of my initial experience with American Swahili student Lily McCann.
Apiyo aka “Prince Nesta” is domiciled at the University of Oregon students’ quarters where he runs an internet radio station from the comfort zone of his bedroom.
NNN Radio is a part of Nesta News Network which is the brainchild of Kenyan Award Winning International Radio broadcaster, Producer, Podcaster, Reporter and Scholar Apiyo better known as Prince Nesta.
Professor James Murothi (aka DJ Yakobo), on the other hand, is the other guy I met in Oregon. Originally from Naivasha, Murothi is a lecturer at the University of Oregon whose side hustle is disc-jockeying in birthdays, weddings and other events.
Murothi, also DJs for NNN Radio and does lots of reggae in his vast collection of music.
So where did the name NNN Radio emanate from? Apiyo’s alias name is “Prince Nesta”. NNN are initials for “Nesta News Network” Radio, which is an Internet radio based in Oregon.
“It’s basically a digital space where I am offering everybody to access my content and get to know more about African culture. It’s a one stop shop if you wanna talk about Africa,” explains Apiyo, adding: “It’s an internet kind of radio which plays all kinds of music, especially for the African diaspora. It’s the best way for me to connect with guys back home and for me to maintain my culture, African music plays here.”
-Reggae love-
Wait a minute! Apiyo and Murothi have a penchant for reggae music and this is evident on my visit to Apiyo’s students quarters home, where reggae is evidently music to my ears.
“NNN is a one-stop-shop for informative, educative and entertaining content.”
And why Nesta News Network? “Nesta is my nickname, Being a journalist in Kenya I have used the name Nesta for the longest time possible.
“I am really inspired by Robert Edward Turner who is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. Turner founded the Cable News Network, the first 24-hour cable news channel. better known as CNN. So, I just removed the word Cable from CNN and added my nickname to end up with NNN.”
“I’m sure many Kenyans remember me as I used to work with Nation FM Radio, Q- FM and Easy FM. I have been a correspondent for the BBC as a cultural correspondent and worked for Voice of America,” Apiyo went on.
Asked why he has converted his bedside into an I-studio, Apiyo continues: “Because digital technological revolution is the way to go now. I have worked in Kenya, Ghana and the USA and there is one thing that I used to see especially in the traditional media industry. It was owned by a few elites and we were just working for them.”
“But now with the digital revolution, you could actually have it anywhere in your bedroom, podcasts from their basements.”
For Apiyo, having a studio in his house is a lot easier as he spends most of his time there after school.
“Since I go to school and also spend much time in the house. I started a small studio but with a vision to upgrade to a big media network,” quips Apiyo.
–Revenue Stream–
Apiyo started his I-Project two years ago when Covid happened and has since done many collaborations with broadcasters across the African diaspora, African Americans and also afro-Caribbean. His biggest listeners come from Asia, Europe, but he also gets downloads in Latin America and Africa.
His business contacts send him their content. He then gives them a platform by playing their podcasts. NNN Radio can be found on Play Store and Google App Store.
“I generate income by giving them a platform. but it’s not really about that. The noble objective is to inform and educate the world on African culture, so I collaborate a lot with content creators.”
Apiyo is actually pursuing a PHD in Media Studies and Communication.
“I didn’t choose radio at all, I believe it actually chose me. Just as Bob Marley would put it about his music craze. Before coming to Oregon, I lived in Nevada here in the USA where I did my Masters. Before Nevada, I lived in Nairobi where I was working.
“But before Nairobi, I came from my residence in Mamboleo Kisumu, though my home is ‘State House’ in Bondo.”
–Culture Shock–
Apiyo expounds just how tough things can get when you are subjected to culture shock.
He has lived in America for six years but believes it takes some time to adjust.
“I am not telling you that you just eat Kenyan dishes alone. You have to be a little bit open in the sense that you have to also eat their food, mingle with them, dress in their clothes and if you come across a mzungu lady, so be it. It’s part of cultural exchange. Mum is petering me a lot about marriage,” narrated Apiyo.
“Things are different here if you consider the American English, their culture and food. The way we call things in Kenya is totally different from here. Chips in Kenya are fries in America if you ask for chips, then they’ll give you crisps,” said Apiyo.
Apiyo narrates: “I still have trouble with things here. The way they cook their food, the burgers, pizzas-it’s simply not my kind of stuff. That’s why I maintain my roots and tradition of eating sukuma wiki and ugali. Their Sukuma is different though not the same as the mama mboga and there is no ugali here. I always send guys to bring me traditional Kenyan dishes whenever a Kenyan comes from home.”
–Career Development–
Oregon is one of the best institutions when it comes to scientific communication. It’s a great institution as far as research is concerned.
Due to his hard work and passion for the trade, Apiyo landed a full scholarship to pursue his PHD in Oregon and has no regrets.
“One good thing about this county (America) is that if they discover that you can perform very well, you have good ambitions and you are a hard worker, they give you a scholarship but the grades have to be good.”
“They gave me a scholarship and it was a good deal. So, I said to myself- why not Oregon? I must come to Oregon which is a heaven for sports like American football, basketball and athletics. Because our school hosted the Worlds, it was a good opportunity to interact with our compatriots.”
Apiyo reveals that there is hardly any free time in his routine schedule given that PHD is very demanding in America.
“Fourteen hours of my time in a day is mostly dedicated towards schoolwork. Because you are also expected to teach at the same time and also expected to do your own research.
–Bedroom Internet Radio Station–
But whenever Apiyo has some free time, he has a radio station to attend to and that’s his only way of relaxing. It’s like a hobby and passion to him. And the free time he gets, that’s when he does journalism.
“I have produced in Munene Nyaga’s shows, hosted reggae shows, and also worked with the likes of Sean Cardovillis. But I always look back to Munene Nyaga because- up to today- if feel he is one of the most brilliant journalists I ever worked with. His jokes are 3D. He is the kind of guy when he talks, I try so much to be like him.”
“I have worked for local and international radio stations, but the best advice that I can give fellow journalists back home is that you have to be true to yourself. Find out what makes you tick, or what makes you different from the others. What makes me different is the fact that I am very passionate about this thing.”
–Brain Drain—
But Apiyo abhors the infamous trend of professionals completely leaving their countries to explore their careers overseas without giving back to their homeland-Africa.
“Kenya and Africa are always in my heart. I always aspire to inspire the next generation in Africa. I know where I came from, and for me to be here in the US people back home really sacrificed, so it’s the way I would love to help other people. I came to the States to familiarise myself with the digital technology and revolution and then go back to Africa to inspire the next generation of youngsters in my trade.”
Apiyo goes on to explain: “You cannot say you want to build Africa with all the brain drain we experience from time to time. So they just stick here and you say they don’t wanna come back. I am the kind of guy who would not mind going back to Kenya.
Africa we must change their way of doing things. If you go to Asia and then here in America, they invest heavily in technology.”
“When I’m back home and look at the issues we have people complaining they haven’t been paid yet for like three months. People are so talented but can’t think widely. Frustration kills talent.”
–DJ -Cum-University Professor–
Professor Murothi (DJ Yakobo) is a DJ and lecturer at the university of Oregon but also plays the music for the NNN. Radio.
Back home as a regular churchgoer, Murothi developed an interest in singing.
Murothi: “My music actually started with gospel. I came to school here in America and when I got there I was broke and needed to learn a skill to help me pay some bills. A friend of mine persuaded me to DJ, so I gave it a try.”
“It’s a weekend after work for me and pays. What pays me more are weddings. I do multicultural weddings. I have branded myself multiculturally as I mix their songs and that’s what makes me the dollar.”
Murothi didn’t come to Oregon to study per say. He came to teach- though his lecturing started in Ohio.
“So my story starts in Ohio at a place called Oxford Ohio, I studied there and then went to teach. I went to the University of Georgia. In my free time when not teaching I like playing music. Music for me started back home in Kenya. If it is in you, it is ingrained, so I changed from singing songs and now I am playing other people’s music.” Murothi says.
“I am a DJ, and many people ask me the kind of music I play and I tell them I can play anything. I play country music, rock, wedding songs, but reggae is like a religion-music to my ears.
Murothi comes from Naivasha in a place called Marigushi in the outskirts of town; down the escarpment on your way to Kinangop.
He has words of praise for his friend and compatriot Apiyo. “NNN Radio can reach his audience back home. So, the Kenyan facet makes it really exciting to fans back home through social media platforms and NNN Radio App. Because of the digital revolution, you can reach the masses from the comfort zone of your living rooms.”
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Eugene, Oregon, USA-
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