When you meet him at the sidelines of the RFUEA Grounds or the KCB Sports Club, Ojee comes off as a very quiet gentleman who mostly smiles and waves at people as he goes over to his favourite sitting spot in either of the venues.
However, to his friends, he is a very outspoken person who never shies away from speaking his mind be it about sports or business. Kru.co.ke sat down with the recent graduate of USIU Africa and current Shujaa Captain and he walked us down his rugby memory lane.
Ojee was introduced to rugby by his elder brother Casey Adero, back in the 2000s, who was then playing for the St. Mary’s School Yala’s rugby team. When he later joined Kisumu RFC, Ojee still tagged along to the training sessions and somewhere along this routine his interest in the sport grew in leaps and bounds.
“I officially started playing when I joined Cardinal Otunga High School aged 14. It’s been an amazing journey. With high and low moments of course, but it’s an experience I’d relive time and again because it has shaped me into the person I am today,” says Ojee.
He made his debut for the Kenya Simbas in 2015 against Spain at the RFUEA Grounds, a match that Simbas won and to top off his debut, Ojee scored his first of many tries on the day. “It’s been a great journey with the Simbas and each match day adds an unforgettable moment for me as it’s another chance to represent my Country.”
PHOTO/OSBKE
You earned your 30th Cap on 24th August against Zambia, what did that mean to you?
Getting capped for the 30th time was a surreal moment for me. Especially after I was out for almost 2 years with an injury. At some point I thought I’d never come back to playing competitive rugby. So that was a special moment for me. Hopefully I get to play another 30.
Congratulations to our Captain @Jackoj03 as he earns his 30th Cap for the @KenyaSimbas this afternoon. 🙌🙌
The match against Zambia kicks off at 4:00pm at the RFUEA Grounds.
Regular tickets Kshs. 500/-
VIP tickets Kshs. 1,000/-#TheSimbas#VictoriaCup #Shujaa pic.twitter.com/AY44ZG6Qes— #Shujaa (@KenyaSevens) August 24, 2019
What was going through your mind when you were named the Shujaa Captain?
I’d just been called up by the coach, Paul Murunga, 4 years since I last played for Shujaa, little did I expect to be given the responsibility to lead the team but it gave me an opportunity to really step up and ensure we put up our best performance during the HSBC Sevens Series. It was a humbling moment and an honor for me to take up the role. Despite the challenges and difficulties, the group was an amazing one to work with.
When he’s not on the pitch, Ojee has his “Outlook” Cloth line that he works on.
Just as the name suggests, it simply means what look, in fashion sense, do you want to pull off each time you step out. Be it casual, official or sportswear. It’s a phrase I used a lot back in the day.
My motivation came from mostly music, Hip Hop music and the fashion that I saw portrayed in the videos. Clothing brands were always a main feature in them. I picked up Sean Jean, WuTang, Fubu and such like and got inspired to venture in such a business. Locally we had Jahmu Wear and Vazi, these two are top of my mind as we speak.
Major challenge of the business is the availability of quality fabric in the market for steady supply because it’s based on custom making the clothes to the client’s preferences. The other one is getting a good and professional workforce to ensure you deliver on time. If those two are sorted out the business runs smoothly.
Ojee graduated on 28th September from USIU-Africa with a Degree in International Business Administration.
Newest graduate in town!
Join us in congratulating our Captain @Jackoj03 who graduated from @USIUAfrica yesterday with a Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration (IBA) – Finance Major.
Well in Ojee! #Shujaa pic.twitter.com/WYy51GuSdF
— #Shujaa (@KenyaSevens) September 29, 2019
“It was one hell of a ride, but it was worth the journey!”
Be sure to catch him in action on the 18th-20th October during the Safari Sevens at the RFUEA Grounds. Tickets are available at mtickets.com .
