For 2004, Kimani Maruge become di oldest man to start primary school wen im join Kapkenduiywo Primary School for Kenya.
Di 84-year-old student na former soja wey fight against colonial rule for Mau Mau independence movement.
Im bin miss out on school as a child so wen Kenyan goment scrap all fees for state primary education, e see am as chance to finally learn to read and write.
Kimani former teacher Jane Obinchu na im dey tell im tori, wey don inspire pipo from all ova di world.
E no too old
Na October 2003 and headteacher Jane Obinchu from Kapkenduiywo Primary School for Eldoret wey dey located 320km from Nairobi hear one knock for her door, she bin dey prepare for di school year.
Di pesin wey bin dey stand outside di door na Kimani Maruge. Im tell her say im wan take advantage of di new law for Kenya, wey dey offer free education for everybody for state primary schools.
Jane bin confuse, she bin no sure weda to add di octogenarian to her register.
“We dismiss am. We tell am say: “You too old to learn.” To try pursue am, I tell am to come back for January 2004 year,” Jane tell BBC.
But Kimani no give up.
“To my surprise, wen schools open dat 2004 year, Im bin dey by my office and dress in full school uniform wit im bag and a few exercise books and one pencil for im bag,” Jane tok.
Jane ask am again to comeback afta one week. Wen Kimani turn up again, she decide dis time to sit down and tok to am.
Motivated by vision
Kimani tell her say im bin no dey convinced say wetin im hear from di preacher for church dey true.
Im walk out of church in protest. On im way to im house, im begin feel dizzy na so im see vision.
“Dem tell am to come our school so dem fit assist am, so im fit learn how to read so im fit read Bible by imself,” Jane tok.
“Den im say for im vision, dem tell am say e get one lady wey go assist am to know how to read. And im say na me wey im see for im vision.”
Jane register am. For im first day of di term, Kimani come early and dress smart for im new uniform. Im willingness to learn bring plenty ginger.
E go dey play wit children as im dey move wit one walking stick.
Few years later, Kimani explain im determination.
“Di reason I wan study na to show Kenya children and di entire world say education dey more important dan anytin else, e big pass to dey rich. True wealth na to dey educated,” Kimani tell tori pipo Reuters for 2006.
Hurdles
Some parents bin no dey happy to see old man along wit dia kids inside classroom. Dem protest.
Jane bin dey fear. But her own students come out of dia classroom and beat up dia parents.
Some parents no gree oh, dem complain give di education department, na so dem transfer Jane.
Jane fight dem and get her old job back. She and Kimani come get rapport na so she teach am how to read.
“My best memories na wen im bin dey try to pronounce di syllables,” Jane kotinu.
“E bin dey very interesting and during singing lessons, Im fit sing and do di oda lessons wey di oda students dey do.”
Kimani begin show results. One day, Kimani pick up bible begin read, John 3:16.
“Dat na di first verse im read. E tok about God sending im only begotten Son to die for our sins.. “
“We bin dey excited wen im read na so we begin cry.”
Jane believe say na dat moment wey Kimani vision come true.
International recognition
And more correct tori come.
For 2005, Dem carry Kimani and Jane go New York to deliver message to United Nations. Di trip na international charities arrange am to promote education.
Reuters footage of Kimani for New York show am as im bin dey inside di ogbonge yellow American school bus through Times Square, walking wit im stick outside di Empire State Building, e shake hands wit plenty police officer.
But deep down, im bin no dey impressed wit di welcome.
“Im no bin find di place warm enough. Na so im dey ask why dem no dey invited to some pipo house, like Africa.”
Im also dey miss im Kenyan food.
Yet, im deliver clear message to United Nations.
“I hope say everybody for di whole world go get di message and those wey no dey able to go to school go fit go school.”
Legacy
For Kenya, Kimani become head boy of di school and Im story make am to Guinness book of records.
Im die for 2009 and di following year, dem do feem about im life wey dem call Di First Grader.
Di following year, Priscilla Sitienei, one 85-year-old Kenyan midwife, start primary school to learn to write, she share classes wit six of her great-grandchildren and several children wey she bin help deliver.
Although she bin start out one year older dan Maruge, she set her own record: wen she die for 2022, she bin still dey study and, at 99, dem believe say she be di oldest primary school student for di world.
“Something I dey proud of na say many older pipo return back to school, including most of my staff wey return back to classrooms to advance dia studies,” Jane Obinchu tok finish.
“E make me feel like God get purpose for me, and di purpose na to help Kimani learn to read and write.”
