Way back in June 1998, I graduated with my Masters in Business Administration from one of the top universities in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Come August 1998, I got a job with one of the well established Non-Governmental Organizations as an Assistant Finance Director.

It was a VERY WELL paying job. They offered me a car for myself, which they also fueled and serviced. They also gave me a house. It was a big house indeed, and, being single and staying alone, it took me quite some time to get used to the big space all for myself.

Being the first-born in my family, and with three other boys also settled and stable, I was under pressure to get myself a soul-mate. At age 34, my parents, who now stayed upcountry following their retirement, were getting concerned about my singleness.

Robin, 33, Kelvin, 31, and Steve, 29, all had steady jobs, as well as stable relationships with their fiancees. As for me, I had no clue whom I was going to marry. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months, and I was not meeting the girl of my dreams.

Come June 2000, now aged 36, I decided to call Dennis, my cousin. We chatted at length regarding my issue. He had no clue where to get a girl who would some day become Mrs.Aggrey Odidi.

In August 2000, Kelvin, our third-born, was extremely impatient. He told me that he will put culture aside and wed his Sweetheart. He had, out of respect for me, waited for six years. In our culture, the first-born weds first, then the order is followed, out of respect. After a lot of family discussions, we agreed that, since I had kept my siblings waiting, they should now start wedding, beginning with Robin, then 35, then Kelvin, then 33, then Steve, then 31.

Therefore, Robin wedded in August 2000, followed by Kelvin in December 2000, and finally Steve, in April 2001. It was embarrassing, but I swallowed my pride.

Susan was recruited as a young, beautiful secretary in August 2001. She looked good by all standards. It emerged from her personal records that she was married. That did not affect me too much, since I had gotten used to such disappointments.