Citizen TV’s 10 over 10 show host and comedian Oga Obinna revealed that, sometimes, it is a waste of money to build a house in the village.
In an interview with SPM Buzz, Obinna was asked what he thought about Mulamwah’s recent achievement in building a Sh. 10 million house in Kitale.
The funny-man opined that while building in the village has its own perks, most people who undertake such projects live in the city. This makes it a redundant investment.
“Building a house in Ushago is a waste of investment since you are never there. You build this house, put Sh. 5-10 million in a house you will never live in,” he said.
He explained that this leads to a waste of resources which could have been channelled into alternative avenues.
“I go to Ushago very rarely and if I go ntakuwa Kisumu, stay in a hotel in Kisumu. I’ll pass by nyumbani see kama compound imefyekwa blablablah then stay there for two nights kisha naenda shughuli zangu.”
“The most I spend in my house is one week when I go upcountry with my children,” Obinna added.
Oga Obinna further revealed that he was the first comedian in Kenya to build a house for his parents and also himself in their ancestral home. For this reason, he doesn’t see Mulamwah’s feat as a big deal.
Mulamwah: Why I invested in my village mansion first instead of buying a car
“Nilijenga home kitambo. I think I am among the first comedians to build a house. I built my parents a house, I built myself a house in the village a long time ago. Most of the time building a house in the village is a wrong investment.”
He sarcastically added that oftentimes, the main reason people build houses in the village is to give their parents bragging rights within the community.
Obinna suggested that, unless one has sufficient capital to move required resources, then they shouldn’t build a house in the village. He proposed ideal urban locations such as Ruiru, Syokimau, Kitengela, Limuru and Kikuyu.
Oga Obinna urged people to know what they want in life. He finished the interview by disclosing he already knows his wants; the place he wants to live, the car he wants to drive and even his next vacation.
His sentiments on village construction echoed posits of Kenya’s great economist and columnist Bitange Ndemo who previously cautioned people against building in the village. He termed it ‘dead capital’.
Ndemo stated that it was useless to put up an expensive mansion in the villae when most of the time you live away in an urban area.