Scrolling through Facebook, I landed on a video featuring a lesson-laden young man renditioning to popular singer, Harrie Richie's new song, Bella without abandon. He was shaking hips, shoulders and all other body parts you we don't have to mention.
I laughed. Hard.
I assumed I had stumbled upon a talented older citizen who had finally decided to join social media. It took me a full three minutes to realize that the "old woman" was actually a young, bearded man named James Chiko—or as the internet knows him, Kukhu Vaida Apembo.
That shock? That is the secret sauce of James' genius.
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When you meet James in person, he is disarmingly charming. A young, handsome creative from Vihiga County with a bright smile and an easy laugh. But watch him for a few minutes, and something magical happens. The posture shifts. The gait slows into a deliberate wobble. The voice cracks into a higher, nagging pitch.
In an instant, James disappears, and Kukhu Vaida—the critical, noisy, quarrelsome, yet frighteningly knowledgeable grandmother—emerges.
At first glance, she is just entertainment. But for the Luhya community, Kukhu Vaida is a mirror. She uses Indigenous knowledge and deep cultural nuance to talk about everything from political satire to climate change.
She is not just a character; she is an ethnographic archive wrapped in a punchline.
In an era where young people are often accused of abandoning their roots for global trends, James is doing the opposite. He is building a powerful digital identity rooted in the local dialect and traditions, yet packaged for a global, trendy audience.
Take, for instance, the recent tree planting campaign by Forezava, Mwisup Investment and Youngstar Self Help Group at Ekwanda Primary School. When we needed to send a message about environmental conservation, a standard poster wouldn't do. We needed Kukhu Vaida.
James showed up on site and, without missing a beat, created a skit that was both hilarious and instructive. (Watch the short here). In less than a minute, "Kukhu" was explaining why cutting down trees leads to drought, using stories and local realities that hit harder than any scientific report.
Why? Because climate information must be packaged in a way that every person can access it. Indigenous languages are central to that fight. James Chiko is proof that you don't need a PhD to educate a community; sometimes, you just need a lesso and a sharp tongue.
James’ story is a blueprint. He represents thousands of young Kenyans who are using content creation to build strong, authentic brands. They are self-taught directors, writers, and linguists. They are solving the communication gap that NGOs and governments have struggled with for decades.
But they cannot do it alone.
Private companies and government bodies must wake up to the value of these digital elders. Talent like James Chiko deserves support—not just in terms of cash, but in infrastructure, data bundles, and platforms to scale their work.
That is the power of Young Leader Spotlight. It is not just about finding change-makers; it is about finding the ones who make change entertaining. You can get in touch with Kukhu via FaceBook or directly on WhatsApp: +254 748 995356.
Have a story of a young creative, leader or entrepreneur building a youthful initiative?
Send them to: obando@forezava.org for publishing.
Visit us at: blog.forezava.org
#Forezava #YoungLeaderSpotlight #JamesChiko #KukhuVaida #IndigenousKnowledge #ContentCreators
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