THE HAIRPOLITAN MAGAZINE VOL 5 APRIL 2017

TOPICAL
“
The human
experience
was more
interesting
to me than
the news
experience
“
Image Courtesy of James Murua
of 40,000-50,000 visitors a month, James wasn’t
earning truckloads of money that many thought he
was. “I wish people would understand one day what
that website did to me. I was always hungry. I was
always tired. I think there was a month I only made
25k and I did that by selling my mailing list. I was
busy and hustling. But at least I wasn’t sitting in
the house feeling sorry for myself.” He continually
generated content for the website till June 2007
putting out 2-3 stories every week.
In Easter 2007 James says he hit rock bottom. It was
a Saturday night at the Koinange Street Festival and
at 2/3am he decided to walk home drunk. He ended
up being arrested by cops and landing himself at the
Central Police Station; and being a long weekend he
was held in cell until Tuesday. Once released, he got
home, shaved, showered, slept and woke up having
decided to look for an actual job.
That same day he got a call from some guys who
wanted to give him a column in a new newspaper
that was coming into the market – The Star. “I was
told later on that my blog was really popular at
Radio Africa and that PQ* loved it. When they were
starting their website he apparently actually said
that he needed this new content in his newspaper.”
He says that his stint at The Star was the longest
and most fruitful of his career. It was the first time
he was earning an income for years. Despite many
seeing it as ‘selling out’, he explains that he honed
his writing skills and made his name. A year ago he
was unceremoniously shown the door after many
years of service.
I ask him if he thinks his journey was the 10,000hours
he needed to get him to where he is now, “You
know if I had been told ‘You’ll suffer for 10years’ I
wouldn’t have done it! Now I’d be General Manager
of somewhere. I’d be smug, have 2-3 kids, I’d be
on my 3rd car…drinking whiskey.“ But I ask why he
did it, why did he slug through it all? “I hated the
jobs that were on offer for me. I really couldn’t stand
them!”
In the year since he left, has steadily grown his
website in his own name, that has been around
for 4 years now. I ask him what it’s about, “If you
want to know how the African literary infrastructure
is, from writers, publishers, festivals awards, all of
that. I am your guy.” It’s comforting to know that
African literature is back on the rise and someone as
resilient, diligent, creative and passionate as James
is on that tip. We’ll be eagerly watching his space
to see what African literary goodies will be coming
our way.
*Patrick Quarcoo, Founder & CEO of Radio Africa Group
FOLLOW JAMES ON HIS WEBSITE:
www.jamesmurua.com
Funtimes in 2015
Nyawira Njoroge:
Quitting Smoking
& living the
Natrella Life
“
I started
smoking
before I went
natural.
Image Source: Unsplash
“
There is this stereotype when it comes to having natural hair and smoking. You’re expected to be a smoker
if you walk around with a head full of thick kinks, locs and all manner of twists. The expectation is even
greater if you happen to have shaved off the hair on a section of your head. Why does my hair determine
what kind of habits or interests I may have?
A lot of these misconceptions have to do with the notion that to have natural hair, you have to be openminded,
rebellious of the status quo and more unique than most people are comfortable with. You know
who you are, and you’re not afraid to express it. So how can naturals be so easily categorized as rebellious
smokers when they are also some of the most conscious individuals you’ll ever meet?
When I first went natural a lot of people told me I looked ‘artsy’. If the sight of my hair reminds you of art,
well thank you - I believe I’m a masterpiece too. Ironically, I started smoking before I went natural. I loved
smoking. It gave me this sense of freedom and stress-relief that I couldn’t find anywhere else.
My first cigarette was on a cold winter night in a country that I would never like to return to. One of my close
girlfriends was a smoker and I was keeping her company one cold evening. I asked her if it helped keep her
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