Childhood friendship leads to marriage

Oscar Wanyaga, 28, an advocate, and Rose Nyambura, 22, an IT specialist, have known each other since childhood. Their mothers’ close friendship automatically made them childhood friends; little did they know they would end up as a couple. They share their wonderful story with LAURA KIBIRU.

A FRIENDSHIP GROWS…
“Our mothers have been very close friends for many years – way before I was born. Therefore, as children, Oscar and I would attend church activities and other social gatherings together, as well as visit each other often. We became so close that we were like siblings. I always admired Oscar because he was not only disciplined but also very bright throughout primary school. So when he was admitted to the Starehe Boys Centre, Nairobi, for his high school education, he was the talk of our community in Mukurweini, Nyeri. Despite the distance, away in school, we still remained good friends and often met during school holidays. However, after he enrolled at the University of Nairobi in October 2003, while I was still in high school, we couldn’t meet as often as we wished because of the different school schedules and thus we lost touch,” explains Rose.
“We reconnected in April 2010, at KCCT (Kenya College of Communication and Technology). At the time, Oscar was a student at the Kenya School of Law in Nairobi. We rekindled our friendship but marriage was far from my mind. To me, Oscar was just my childhood friend. He would visit me often and insisted I do the same, but I was not up to it. I finally gave in and his friendship and commitment to me was key in convincing me he was the man for me,” she adds.
“While in Campus, I realised that I was attracted to Rose who was then in her last year of high school. I had mixed feelings about approaching her since I believed it was wrong to have a relationship with a high school girl. I therefore decided to wait until she finished high school before pouring out my heart. All this time I crossed my fingers, hoping no guy would snatch her before I could make my move,” Oscar explains.
Rose moved to Nairobi after her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations (K.C.S.E) and joined college in 2010, but Oscar didn’t have her contacts. His efforts to get her contacts from her friends left him discouraged amid claims that Rose was already in a relationship. Undeterred, he decided to soldier on and finally got hold of her through Facebook.
“To my surprise, she was single but still didn’t accept to be my girlfriend. She made me work so hard to get her, which was frustrating, but I have now come to appreciate the effort,” he explains.

SURPRISE PROPOSAL …
A surprise proposal in October, 2011 at Safari Walk in Nairobi National Park, finally made a way for their mothers to be not just great friends but also family. Dowry payments culturally known as ruracio were made and in November 2011, where both families joyfully blessed the union. “We planned the wedding for August 2012 but postponed it for April 2012 to coincide with my work schedule. The wedding had to be during the High Court’s vacation so that I could get leave from office for the honeymoon. Also, my sweet wife insisted on this date because it falls on my birthday,” he adds.
“I wanted this date to be extra special for him,” Rose interjects.

COLOURFUL WEDDING…
A dedicated committee planned the Ksh400,000 budget wedding. Their friends donated vehicles for that day cutting down on transportation costs and a pastor friend volunteered to be the MC. Also, the bride’s gown came as a gift from a dear uncle living in the USA. A colourful wedding was held on April 7, 2012 at the House in Bloom gardens on Kiambu Road, and lovely reception followed at the same venue.
“Our wedding day was blessed by beautiful sunny weather, that day, despite April being a rainy month. My husband surprised me with a honeymoon trip to Zanzibar, which had always been a dream destination for me. He understands me and will forever be the love of my life,” Rose concludes.
We wish the beautiful couple a happy marriage.