{
  "id": 14219902,
  "title": "A dream born from borrowed strings: Richard Ombuna’s unrewarded journey in Gusii music",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/a-dream-born-from-borrowed-strings-richard-ombunas-unrewarded-journey",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-13T13:45:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KahawaTungu",
    "slug": "kahawatungu",
    "url": "https://kahawatungu.com/a-dream-born-from-borrowed-strings-richard-ombunas-unrewarded-journey-in-gusii-music/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Richard Ombuna, widely known as Professor among his Kisii fans, is still pursuing a dream rooted in passion, perseverance and a deep commitment to safeguarding Gusii culture at the age of 44. Hailing from Nyaribari Masaba, Ombuna discovered his love for music before leaving school, with traditional obokano becoming the centerpiece of his artistic journey. \"I used to participate in music activities in both primary and high school,\" he told Kahawa Tungu. Despite not pursuing higher education, Ombuna dedicated himself full-time to music, which now feeds his family. However, his journey has been fraught with financial uncertainties as many traditional musicians struggle to turn their talent into a sustainable livelihood. The turning point for Ombuna came in 2011 when he finally bought his own obokano after relying on a borrowed instrument for years. While he acknowledges the ancestral ties to his craft through his late great-grandfather, Ombuna remains unconvinced by the fair compensation musicians receive for preserving cultural heritage. He criticizes brokers who he claims exploit performers, leaving them with meager earnings. Despite encountering prominent figures like Sam Ongeri and former Governor James Ongwae, Ombuna remains frustrated by the lack of financial stability that comes with his career. He advocates for greater transparency in the traditional music industry, calling for musicians to receive fair compensation for their time, skill, and cultural value. Ombuna's ultimate goal is to mentor young musicians, ensuring the preservation of Gusii identity through the obokano for generations to come.",
  "summary": "At 44, Richard Okindo Ombuna, popularly known as Professor among his fans in Kisii, is still pursuing a dream rooted in passion, perseverance and a deep commitment to preserving Gusii culture. A father of four from Nyaribari Masaba, Ombuna discovered his love for music long before leaving school. What began as an interest in musical [...] The post A dream born from borrowed strings: Richard…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}