Popular Kenyan Digital Creator and Comedian Timothy Ndegwa Kimani alias Njugush has revealed his humble beginning before becoming great in the acting industry.
Speaking to Radio 47’s Cate Kulo on Mchikicho’s Akili ni Mali segment, Njugush notes during his early days in acting, he barely received cash payment.
His employers would give him food as payment and many at times, they never hesitated to remind him of the exposure he would get on set and stage urging him to take advantage of it as an uprising actor.
Since he seemingly never had any option during those days, he accepted the food offered and exposure advantage as his pay.
Later Social Media came into the picture and he employed himself by opening his account.
With consistency, discipline, and deliberate effort, he made significant progress and later bloomed into the Njugush brand he is currently.
“Nilikuwa naact nalipwa na chakula na exposure…Unaambiwa eti hujui nani atakuwa hapo…Social Media then came, and I turned to it where I employed myself.” Njugush narrated.
As a creator, Njugush says the biggest challenge is always, “being on top every time… You are as good as your last act kama jana ulitoa video kali, kesho utado?”
In his journey, Njugush advises young creators to identify their path, be consistent and determined even when their craft isn’t paying asserting that when everything will finally pay, it will cater for the ‘wasted days’ (when they were creating yet receiving nothing in return).
“Kila mtu ana njia yake, kwa sababu kuna wengi tumefanya vitu the same way lakini hawapo mahali niko…Kuna wale pia talanta haipo sana lakini kazi inapigwa sana na wanakafunga. Always be on it, be visible hata kama hupati pesa… wakati itajipa italipa ile time hukupata kakitu. Jitume tu ulipo, you never know bahati yako iko wapi.”
Njugush in an interview, once noted that comedy wasn’t his first choice.
He wanted to be a journalist a course he pursued but life led him to a different path which he is currently content with.
His breakthrough came from ‘Hapa Kule News,’ and boomed through ‘The Real Househelps of Kawangware.’
Njugush is happily married to one Celestine Ndinda and they have 2 sons together; Tugi and Toria.
