Hollywood star Lupita Nyong’o was the center of attraction as she eulogized her grandmother, Dorcas Awino Nyong’o who was accorded an emotional burial at Rata village in Kisumu County.
Lupita, daughter to Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o and the first Kenyan to win an Oscar electrified thousands of mourners as she recounted her last moments with her granny.The funeral was attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Opposition leader Raila Odinga and several high profile politicians from across the country.
Dressed in an ordinary white dress, sporting braids and low heeled shoes, Lupita eulogized her grandmother as a heroine and a loving and caring woman who always counseled them.She caused laughter when she described how she found it difficult explaining to her her internationally acclaimed career.Lupita who received a standing ovation from the mourners especial from the villagers who jostled to see her, said her grandmother could not understand her profession when she returned home to explain to her about the Oscar award she had just won.”One of my best memories of grandma was when I tried to explain to her what I do for a living,”, she said amid laughter from the mourners.
She added: “After the customary cup of tea, she asked me what I was doing for a living. I did not know how to explain acting in dholuo. So I pointed to the TV station that was on air and said that’s what I do, I told her I work with people on TV”.She narrated that, that interestingly the grandma was silent for a while, smiled then muttered in dholuo-“mano tich adier? (Is that really a job?)”We both broke into laughter as I rued at my poor attempt to explain my job. Although she may not have understood what I did, am certain she seemed to have appreciated it since she has always been proud of me,” said Lupita.
Lupita arrived at the Kisumu international Airport on Thursday night and was picked by a glittering limousine that drove her to their Rata home.She was accompanied by her cohorts in the global film industry.
