Renowned Kenyan comedian Edwin Butita, popularly known as Eddie Butita, recently shared insights into his early struggles and the modest beginnings of his artistic career during an interview on Radio 47’s Maskani 47 show with hosts Billy Miya and Mbaruk Mwalimu.
Butita reflected on a pivotal moment in 2011 when, faced with challenges securing a platform for his talent, he and nine friends devised a plan to organize a show inside a club. The chosen venue was Club Town, a Nairobi CBD restaurant with an embedded club. The idea was to capitalize on the crowd that typically gathered at the club, especially when people were in high spirits.
With enthusiasm, Butita and his colleagues embarked on their impromptu performance, patiently waiting for the club to fill up with eager patrons. By 9:30 pm, only three people were present, and their audience grew to seven by 11:45 pm. It wasn’t until between 12:30 am and 1:00 am that the club reached maximum capacity.
Despite the initial setbacks, Butita and his squad delivered a spirited performance. However, their excitement was short-lived when the event organizer, also their friend, revealed a regrettable oversight at the show’s conclusion. He confessed, “The mistake is all mine! I never knew people would be this many. We could have charged them an entrance fee at the gate.”
Disheartened by this revelation, the friend had to distribute his meager earnings (Ksh. 200) among the performers to cover their transportation costs. In the ensuing struggle to divide the amount among the ten individuals, Butita found himself making a difficult decision. Despite an available empty seat, he opted to stand inside a bus to Kaariobangi to save Ksh. 10 from his earnings.
Butita succinctly summarized this challenging experience as his first paycheck in the industry, emphasizing the humble beginnings that many artists face. His story serves as a motivational reminder for aspiring talents to persevere and focus on their craft, trusting that their dedication will eventually yield success.
