My Hero

It was on a Sunday morning, at St. Augustine Church, Southampton, in the late 90’s that I met my hero.

He was born in Paddington, London, by Nigerian parents, Clara & Kambi (nurse
and lawyer). Unfortunately, there was a war going on in Nigeria, so his parents left him and his brother, Riba, in the safety of England, or so they thought.
As a child he had some troubles with identity, which came to surface when a woman once asked him where he came from, and he didn’t know that he was an Igbo.

Despite all this, he persevered to become the soldier, public speaker, T.V star, MBE, performer, Olympic gold medallist, record holder, husband and father of two, preacher and Christian we all know and love today, Kriss Kezie Uche Chukwu Duru Akabusi.

That Sunday morning touched my life. Kriss signed my bible, told me things I’d never known about my country, Nigeria, and let me sit on his motorbike.
It also inspired me to start writing a series of short sketches, to be acted out soon, based on his biography “Kriss Akabusi on Track” by Ted Harrison. In the hope that it will keep children facing the same challenges, on track.

By Bisi Eni-Olotu.