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© Brent Smith |
"My names are Wilberforce Okeka. In 1961 my parents recognized their humanhood as having me as their first born baby in the village called Esimuli in Marachi location in Busia District, Western province of Kenya." "I grew up under the inspiration of my parents and neighbors and would have taken their farmer careers if the circumstances had allowed. When I saw my parents planting cassava, monkey nuts and maize for our daily need and to pay for my school fees, uniform and my health care, I wanted to be what my neighbors were: bank managers, school managers, business managers, football managers etc. The only thing I hated was to be a soldier." |
| "My parents loved to call me Odhiambo - Bwire (evening) and my baptismal name is John Kennedy. But later in 1974, I appreciated to be called Wilberforce Okeka. William Wilberforce was an English farmer who struggled to stop slave trade business. Okeka comes from a word called Mukeka, which means mat - a product from a plant called Phonix reclinata, which grows wild along the rivers. My father's names are Daniel Okeka, and my mother is Pheobe Awori Okeka. The village Esimuli is one of the villages where men and women have been working hard for the sustainable livelihood of their sons and daughters in the past days. In fact, this is the reason why this village is called Esimuli (bright part of the flowering plant - the petal). From 1961 to 1979 I spent most of my life with my parents in Esimuli village. 1970 I joined Esimuli primary school. After my graduation in 1979, I went to Nairobi and spent a whole year looking for school fees and job opportunities. In 1981, I was employed by the Forest Department and posted to Kakamega Forest, where I started to work as supporting staff. Since then I have been working in nursery management, as a patrol man, and as a vaster caretaker in the Kakamega forest. In 1995, I was married to Maryline Apondi Yasiba and now we have six children together." | |
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Here are some details on my working experience: 1983 - I was hired by the Forest Officer Research Scientist Prof. Thelma Rowell and Paul Tsingalia for identifying tree seedlings and saplings in the forest. 1984 - I assisted Dr. Robert Biling and learned more on snake
collection and handling. 1985-1986 - Responsible for guiding and caring of visitors
to the Kakamega Forest Reserve. 1987 - I assisted Patrick Harding Sulvanos in insect collection. Since 1989 - Tree hole breeding mosquitoes and associated fauna of Kakamega Forest by Dr. Robert Copeland. 1989 to date - I participate in a research project conducted Dr. Robert Copeland (ICIPE), collecting beetles and mosquitoes of Kakamega Forest, as well as collecting and identifying fruit flies. 1992-1995 - I participated in a research project on the behavioral biology and diversity of dragonflies in Kakamega Forest, conducted by Dr. Viola Clausnitzer 1993 - I organized and instructed a one month training programme in species identification.for visitor guides of the Kakamega Forest, and I participated in a workshop about Forest Ecology at the National Museum of Kenya (NMK) 1994 - I participated in a communication skill course, Elsamer
Conservation Center, Naivasha 1995 - I joined the African Church of the Holy Spirit 1995 - I started to create environmental conservation awareness in the community living around Kakamega Forest. 1995-1996 - I participated in dung beetle collection in Kakamega Forest, Kitui, and Thika conducted by Nabuhiro (Japan). 1996 - I participated in a study on bird feeding ecology and
behavior of Grevilea sp. conducted by Antoine KALINAGNERE
in the forests of Malava, Embu and Meru. 2001 - I participated in an International Symposium in Japan and presented KEEP activities. 2002 - I participated in mosquitoes research by Nabuko Tuna, Japan. |
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