5 Top Kenyans Who Have Managed To Succeed Without Degrees

By Kibet Tobias
Does success really lie in your level of education?
For one even with a degree or diploma, you are not guaranteed of a job immediately or even success after wards.
You have probably heard the saying that ‘Education is the key to success.’ However this doesn’t apply to everyone.
There are successful Kenyan personalities who have confirmed to us that with or without a degree, you can still achieve your dreams through your talent and hard work.
This article has compiled a list of a few successful Kenyans from various fields who started their careers without a degree.
1. Felix Oduor aka Jalango
Looking back at his early life, he was raised in a very humble background.
Through all the struggles, he finally managed a C+ in KCSE exams, but his family could not afford to sponsor his college education. This forced him to start doing odd jobs in a fish firm in Homabay.
To cut the story short, Jalango today is one of the most sought-after personalities in the Kenyan showbiz industry despite having no college degree.
He owns a company by the name Arena Media and also hosts shows and emcees multiple events in the country.
He is currently pursuing a marketing degree at Daystar University.
2. Charles Njagua Kanyi aka Jaguar
He was born in a family of three siblings. And after losing his mother at the age of eleven, Jaguar was forced to work in informal employment doing odd jobs to earn a living.
After completing his secondary education at Senior Chief Koinange Secondary School, Jaguar never bothered to pursue a degree.
Today, he is a businessman and a member of parliament for Starehe Constituency. Jaguar owns investments in Real Estate as well as the Transport and Aviation Industry.
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3. Maina Kageni
After Kageni finished his secondary school education at Laser Hill, he went to study in the UK.
But he did not enroll in school. Instead, he became a truck driver and a fish distributor for a Chinese firm. His mother would later on learn that Kageni was not in school after attending a graduation.
When Maina came back to Kenya, he luckily got his first job at Radio Africa, despite having no training in journalism.
And without a degree, he is currently one of the well paid media personalities in Kenya.
According to him, life has multiple opportunities for everyone. With or without education, you only need to embrace any opportunity that comes your way.
4. Daniel Ndambuki aka Churchill
Before reaching his career peak, Churchill had no university degree.
Recently, he revealed in an interview that he had enrolled at Daystar University to pursue a degree in mass communication.
Besides owning Laugh Industry, he cohosts a popular breakfast show with Maina Kageni on Classic 105.
5. James Kang’ethe aka Bonoko
This article will not be complete without mentioning the ‘Bonoko’ guy.
Do you still remember the ‘Huyo siyo mwizi…anauza mutura pale ngara’ lyrics that hit the airwaves sometimes back?
It was after this that James Kang’ethe aka Bonoko voice began to be used in programmes for funny clips & mixes that he became famous.
This landed him his first job as a presenter at Ghetto Radio and started earning a decent living for himself.
Before finding his spot in media, he lived in the streets.
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In conclusion,
These are just but a few successful people who made it in life without having college/university education. They are a real proof that education doesn’t define your success but it can help you achieve it.
The writer is a Communication Assistant  at Career Point Kenya. Email: tobias@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke.