Comedian Oliver Otieno, alias YY, syas his alcoholic father influenced his decision to be a teetotaler.
Speaking on Churchill Show’s ‘Journey Series’, the funnyman revealed that he faced a difficult childhood as a result of his father’s alcoholism and abuse against his mother.
“We lived in a muddy house, with metallic window panes and no glasses. I was not an undisciplined child but I was very tricky. My wish was to get my mother out of that situation. It’s a situation I would not wish on any child, mother or father to be living in,” he said.
“We lived in Nairobi for eight years and my dad died when I was in class three. He was an alcoholic and he used to beat my Mum sana. So I wanted really to protect my mother. So most of the time akipiga, nilikuwa naingia hapo katika, to intervene,” he added.
“And this changed me since I did not want to end up like my father in that specific regard.”
YY also noted that apart from being an alcoholic and abusive, his dad was a great person in all other aspects and that’s why he uses his name in acting.
Speaking from his personal experience and that of his mother, the funnyman cautioned single mothers against moving to the village after their husbands die.
“Do not leave your business in the city and go back home to start from zero because you are going to make your children suffer while pleasing the villagers. I believe so much that if my mother continued with her business in Nairobi, there are things I would not have gone through.”
