Inaugural UoN Talent Day

For the first time ever, the University of Nairobi held a students and staff Talent Day. The event saw over 500 students gather in Taifa Hall.

The talent day was a culmination of three days of auditions of the various talents in different categories.  The best were picked to showcase their talents and innovations while others came to cheer and celebrate their peers during the performances. The Talents were categorized as music, poetry, narrations, ICT, Engineering innovations and Art.

‘The definition of a world-class University is inclusive of a concentration of talents,’ noted Prof. Julius Ogeng’o, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affairs during his opening remarks. ‘Expect therefore a concentration of talent in its diversity.’

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama noted that this is a chance for students and staff to showcase what they are good at and he pledged the institution’s support to nurture the talents that will be showcased.

“This is a first of many. From this day, this will be an annual event, that will start from  each college holding its Talent day and then the winners can battle it out at the main event.’

Master Piranha, an alumnus of UoN curtain-raised for the students by performing his song about the University.  Faith Naliaka opened the stage by singing her own composition and performed, Beyonce’s Brown skin girl in Kiswahili.

Jesse Mbuthia performed with a guitar, Amondi Were and Beryl Mengich caught the participants’ attention with their powerful performances on Music.

In ICT and Engineering Innovation,  Joseph, a 4th year Electrical Engineering student took the audience through an improved system of Students Management Information System- an innovation he tagged ingenious- challenging what the institution currently has.

Karanja Abundant, a first year student In Urban Planning took the audience through his innovation of a device that uses infrared technology that can detect the number of people boarding Public service vehicles and automatically alerts NTSA when they carry more passengers than they are allowed.

Feelamu by Moses Munene, a Masters student presented an innovation of a platform for videos on-demand. The videos are accessible on any device/gagdet  at a fee of Kshs. 400 on 4 devices. He has commercialized the innovation.

Christiano Mutua wowed the audience by narrating a section of the constitution word for word, Faith Mueni, Sylvia and Betty took to narrations in Kamba and Kiswahili respectively. Laban and his friend tickled the crowd by acting as ‘News presenters’ and they delivered excellently.

Taekwondo, Boxing club, Group and solo dances, Weight lifting and different forms of Art are other categories that were represented by excellent and outstanding performances.

The judges comprised of students and staff named the winners and runners up in each category and congratulated all that took time to perform. They all echoed the same message, that this event is a build up to UoN Cultural week.

Indeed! This was a day to be remembered.