It does not end wrong-even in most marriages-it starts wrong. Gospel musician Daddy Owen was dumped by his fetching yellow-yellow wife, Farida Wambui, before Christmas last year. But red flags started four year’s earlier-with parental disapproval.
Then ‘Miss Rona’ came calling. Daddy Owen went rock bottom broke during lockdown. There were no gigs during curfews. Wambui, tired of footing the bills, fell for Albert Njuguna, a loaded 53 year old married tycoon with interests in microfinance, hospitality, property and real estate, tours and tenders.
Wambui has a son whose Baby Daddy the parents wished was the one marrying her…not Daddy Owen
Mamma Mia: During her ruracio ceremony, Farida Wambui’s parents refused to take the bride price from the Mwatias-Daddy Owen’s family.
Never mind Farida Wambui was the only woman he had ever introduced to his parents. For a Kikuyu woman, there is no stronger disapproval for choice of hubby than parents turning down ruracio-which is planned way in advance. Wambui’s parents also skipped her 300 strong invitation only celebrity wedding at the Kenya Assembly of God church in Buruburu, Nairobi on April 2, 2016. One of the uncle volunteered to walk her down the aisle.
It was at Njuguna’s Kika Lodge in Gilgil Nakuru County where Wambui said yes! a week after leaving the down-on-his-luck musician with their two sons.
That ended Daddy Owen’s four year marriage-which, according to family sources, did not enjoy the blessings of Wambui’s parents. See, Wambui has a son whose Baby Daddy the parents wished was the one marrying her, not Daddy Owen. But ruracio is the preserve of paternal uncles who saved the day by accepting Daddy Owen’s bride price.
Their honeymoon was in Belgium, but the marriage which produced another son had other issues
The late Ken Ouko was an expert in the sociology of the family. He once explained that women tend to look for socially dominant males to raise their status and gain greater access to resources for themselves and security of their children. Ouko further added that women might go for fame and looks but “power in a man, supersedes everything. It might be political power, financial power, sexual power, or simply physical power. But it is wrong for people to think monetary power is the ultimate aphrodisiac for women.”
Their honeymoon was in Belgium, but the marriage which produced another son had other issues. Like their educational differences: Wambui holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Nairobi and a Masters in Marketing and Strategy from Daystar.
Daddy Owen who had no gigs since March publicly confessed to battling depression
The Boiler Room: Daddy Owen and Farida in happier times. Grace Kariuki, a city family therapist with Harbour Counseling and Consulting once argued that a husband enjoys a healthier self-esteem when he’s able to provide for his woman and family- as men were born hunters and gatherers. Kariuki explains that “traditionally, women are expected and wired to nurture and take care of their men but not on the financial sense. Women will take care of the men but find it difficult to respect him if he’s unable to take care of her.”
Daddy Owen, on the other hand, left Eshisiru Secondary school in Kakamega and graduated into a petty thief in Nairobi. A near death experience from the harambee of bodily harm meted via a mob justice was his Damascus Moment to accepting Jeso Kristo as his personal savior enroute to finding fame as a gospel musician from 2003.
Then came the pandemic and attendant lockdowns and curfews in 2020. Living large when the times were good worked against Daddy Owen who had no gigs since March. He publicly confessed to battling depression.
Some of Daddy Owen’s Luhya relatives worked where Wambui was having private dinners
The shrink: Psychologist Benjamin Zulu swears that there will hardly ever come a time when a woman will swap roles and be the provider. “Women will always define love as being pursued and taken care of, men will define it as being in charge and the woman cooperating with him. Don’t be lied to. Times can change, but our psychology doesn’t.”
Wambui was left footing the bills. She could afford it having been in high profile jobs including her current position as Market Access and Pricing Lead for East Africa at an international drugs company.
In fact, Wambui used her position to move around in the name of ‘price meetings with the Ministry of Health’ since the government was importing ‘Miss Rona’ vaccines through her company. But the outings were mostly to hang out with Njuguna at Kika Lodge in Gilgil and the upmarket Cliff Hotel, Nakuru.
Daddy Owen took his sons to Rufftone’s Karen home and rushed to Gilgil where he confirmed his worst fears
Unbeknown to both Wambui and Njuguna, some of Daddy Owen’s Luhya relatives worked where they were having private dinners. It was these relatives who informed Daddy Owen that they had spotted Wambui with her new flame cruising in a grey Range Rover- KCX **1Z- around Gilgil.
Daddy Owen took his sons to Rufftone’s Karen home and rushed to Gilgil where staffers at Kika Lodge confirmed his worst fears: His four year old marriage had ended in premium tears.
I never thought he ever had eyes for me considering his celebrity status and the number of women he met
Daddy Owen has since asked his fans for prayers “as I journey through this season.” He has since moved from their house in Westlands Nairobi and rented an apartment besides deleting all the photos of his wife on social media.
Leave a Reply