It’s always a bit peculiar interviewing someone who works or has worked in the media industry. They are so often more habituated to holding the microphone or notepad and it can be baffling for them to have to reply to all those probing questions they usually shoot to their subjects.
We are on location at Tamarind restaurant at the village market with none other than the former TV queen, Esther Arunga-Timberlake.
Words: Faith Harry
Photos: Bobby Pall
Esther’s voice has a smoothing quality that is almost hypnotic, it’s no wonder KTN took her up fast when an opportunity arose.
And as we may all agree, she is not only beautiful and radiant but she is charming, witty and smart. Her good mood is infectious. Her beauty glows proudly and defiantly through her smooth, deep chocolate complexion.
It is hard to imagine the woman seated opposite me in a restaurant at the Village market has been in the limelight for sometime both for good reason, when she was a darling to many particularly the male species as she brought news home in a super eloquent way, and even in times of great hullabaloo that has surrounded her life since February.
It’s the controversies that just can’t leave people’s mind any time soon.
Our interview was requested by one, jazz musician, Pastor Joseph Hellon when he called our offices. To me, it was a God sent opportunity. After correspondence with Hellon as that seemed the only way to reach Esther then, we set the interview date.
With that settled, I was excited but a little bit skeptical at the same time on how our encounter would turn out.
On the interview day, Hellon, Quincy and Esther turned up and I was a bit puzzled but I was resolute in my heart to have a one on one interview with Esther alone in order to delve in the issues that have adorned her life in the last couple of months without second opinions.
Our first stop was at Midas Fabrique, anniversary towers to pick some clothes for our scheduled photo shoot later in the day.
With that done, we headed to the Village market for our photo shoot and the expected interview.
Esther has striking buoyancy that impresses everyone at the photo shoot. She seems to love the camera and it loves her right back. It is hard to believe that this fine-looking young lady has had to pass through very harrowing experiences.
As our make up artist preps her for the shoot, its evident that Esther is most accommodating, bounding gracefully from one spot to the next.
Our photographer has a very effortless time with her as her poses are natural. And with the slowly bulging belly, her delight is palpable. Yes, indeed Esther Adongo Timberlake is heavy with a child; six months old. And the joy of the pregnancy is evident on her glowing skin.
As our make up artist does some touch up make up on her, we engage in girlish talk.
“Is your pregnancy problematic?” I ask from a point of experience being a mother myself.
“No, I can’t complain. It has been a smooth ride, just dealing with insurmountable bouts of gas at times but basically nothing much. I didn’t experience morning sickness, something I am really grateful for,” she responds in that all innocent made up baby face.
In my moment of reflection, I noted the Esther I saw defending herself against accusations of belonging to a cult and the Esther I am with today is different.
This Esther seems contented with her life; who she is and the choices she has made. And indeed one of them being her husband, Quincy. “My husband treats me well.
Our marriage is sweet and beautiful, I feel like the most loved woman in the world. People should learn not to meddle into other people’s affairs because I have a right to marry a person of my choice,” says Esther Timberlake adding that their baby due in December will further strengthen their relationship.
When we are almost done with the photo shoot, our photographer requests Esther’s husband for a snapshot together.
He feels a bit odd as he wasn’t prepared for any. Had he been, he could have dresssed stylishly as he puts it.
The life of Esther Adongo Arunga-Timberlake
“When I was growing up, I wanted to be a pilot, news anchor, and engineer, name it. However, most people thought I would take up law as they said I was very loquacious,” Esther states as we begin our formal interview.
“I am born in a close knit academic family, where we are all extremely independent. My twin brother and I are the sixth born in a family of seven. When I was 13 years old, my parents moved to Ethiopia due to work related reasons and thus at a tender age of 13, my independence began maybe not out of choice but circumstances. At 15, I withdrew from my family religion, Seventh Day Adventist. I needed a closer walk with God,”
Esther shares candidly noting that this decision caused a lot of rubbing of shoulders with her father, Dr.Arunga who is an elder in the church and her family at large. However, being one who makes decisions without turning back, she left SDA. That’s how her relationship with her father got somehow strained though as she candidly speaks up, she has nothing against her parents and she has forgiven her father.
Earlier this year, Esther had said that she would sue her parents for interfering with her private life but that is now water under the bridge.
“I withdrew the charges against my parents. Our strained relationship is progressively healing and I am in good terms with them contrary to most people’s belief. My mum is my friend and it’s sad that she had to go through the upsetting experience. She is a private woman whom I have great respect for,”
Esther explains claiming that she will sue a well known physiatrist. She will also take legal action on a certain media house and a personality for defamation.
Away from that, she continues with her life story.
“I attended Kenya High School where I performed exceptionally well particularly in the Sciences. At 18 years, I got an opportunity to stay with my parents for about six months before proceeding to Australia to pursue a degree in law. I knew with a degree in law, I could fit in all fields,” the well-expressed lady speaks as words come tumbling out of
her as if she is in a race for the finish line. She is chatty.
After her university education, Esther worked in Australia for one year before coming home for a diploma from the Kenya School of Law. “I felt very uncomfortable in the legal field. I enjoyed studying law but not practicing it. It appeared very male dominated and the few ladies present appeared masculine, at least to me,” she elucidates.
I ask her to elaborate on that point.
“Law is corporate and I couldn’t fit as I wanted a family which I could spend quality time with,” she explains even as I struggle to understand her point. Could it be because I am not a learned friend? Somehow it’s getting clearer why this gorgeous, talented girl prefers to be a stay at home wife and to be mum.
Apart from when she is out sensitizing people about their Placenta Party of Kenya with her husband and their mentor, jazz musician Joseph Hellon, Esther prefers to stay home, after all the husband is well able to provide for all her needs through his vast business investments within and abroad.
The former TV queen shocked many when she resigned from an enviable, high-profile job at KTN as a news anchor and went to live at her pastor, jazz musician Joseph Hellon’s Runda House.
She worked at KTN from October 2007 to February 2010, but the manner and circumstances leading to her resignation are what astonished many.
“I knew I would leave the media at some point. The break up with my former ex-fiancee and what followed after that only fuelled me to resign and pursue my other passion: politics. I always knew I would get into politics but maybe through nominations, say at the age of forty. Media for me was a stepping stone” She shares adding that she does not intend to get back to the media industry as that would be a failure for her.
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. I am passionate about politics. I will be Joseph Hellon’s running mate come 2012, vying for deputy presidency and we are not relenting in our pursuit for a better Kenya,” she states as she starts matters political.
“We are very optimistic that we will carry the day. We have what it takes to lead this nation. As Kenyans, we are so used to bad situations that we have become used to it. We must say NO to corruption,” she says convincingly.
Any one who thinks we can’t win can only be anti-development, anti-Kenya and anti-change. From their manifesto which I have a copy, the trio has promised change in the education system, the judiciary, the constitution, the police and all areas that can be changed and most importantly starting from the family unit.
This young woman who a while back decided to be inaccessible via phone, Facebook and all social sites is now back but as she says, she chooses her friends warily. She can’t trust everyone, having faced betrayal from friends in the past.
“I choose my friends cautiously and I have realized it’s hard to please everyone,” she notes. “While I was at KTN, some people thought I had my dream job while others told me I should get to the legal field and practice law. Being a young woman, my ambitions are clear cut; I really know I’m in the right track through the opposition I receive,” she says philosophically adding that great ideas are always violently opposed by mediocre minds.
“If people don’t oppose me, I would be very worried. My name has been meddled in the worst way and there is nothing more that can happen,” Esther adds. “We do political rallies from community to community. We are always on the move, either by air or by road,” Esther says noting that they have initiated many projects across the country.
“Most of our projects are in the pilot stages and you will soon begin to feel our political presence all over the country. Politicians respect us greatly. My urge to the young people is to ensure that none of the sitting MPs are elected come 2012. We need fresh blood from the grassroots,” she speaks ambitiously.
Her family
As far as good wives are concerned, Esther is a good wife because as we know, many men desire to have a submissive wife. She is very submissive to her husband. “When I came back from Australia, I stayed with my parents for one year. It’s around this time I met Hellon who is a distant relative. They were running a ministry dubbed WATTA (Way To The Aisle) together with his wife. They taught young women on how to be godly wives. Hellon had been married to his wife for eight years then and I really admired their marriage.
I am applying the lessons I learnt practically and I am a happily married lady,” she says elatedly.
And to further prove their love for each other, Esther shares a phone with her husband.
“When we got hooked up, we decided to use one phone. Phones are known to cause drama at times, and I wanted to eliminate anything divisive.
We base our marriage on Biblical principles, where a husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church that He died for it. That love is pure. A man should be ready to sacrifice for the woman he loves, “she says candidly but it doesn’t end there.
Mrs. Timberlake has a piece of advice for the married ladies. “Wives are to treat their husbands as Kings, as they are the center of authority. You can’t treat your man the way you treat your girlfriends,” she emphasizes noting that women are called to submission, and although it may not happen in a day, slowly and with deliberate effort, it’s possible to get there.
“Why do Kenyan men marry Tanzanian women? She asks rhetorically.
Tanzanian women seem to understand what submission should be in a better way. Most Tanzanian women treat their husbands with uttermost respect. “I enjoy washing my husband’s clothes and cooking for him. I do it gladly. Of course many are the times when my husband helps me out in the kitchen purely out of love. He is a good cook,” she says warmly.
Esther talks highly of her husband and makes marriage sound so delicious. And contrary to what most people think, as Quincy states he met Esther for the first time in Australia in 2003, it was brief as he later left for the United States of America. However, there was no relationship established between the two then.
As we come to the end of our interview, Quincy joins us and has some exceptionally passionate words for his wife.
“It’s my desire to ensure that my wife is happy at all times. I am imperfect, yes I agree but I am seeking righteousness daily. My wife is a flower that needs delicate care, she is a woman happily established on a bedrock that cannot be moved by sandy winds, loamy soils and clay waters, she can withstand any pressure from the furnace, she can withstand any pressure from solar burns…she has stood by me when I was under great pressure…she is not a nag and she is very supportive,” chanted Quincy.
To further express his love, Quincy has stopped owning a mobile phone and has pulled out of social online sites to concentrate his time on loving Esther.
“I do not have a reason to get busy with others as my wife fills up all my time. I have been in relationships before, I dated the likes of Whitney Houston but I knew no happiness.
But now, I have found love and happiness and I will love in return and make sure that my wife is happy and secure. I discover my wife every second. She is like my long term research project, she is bigger than the Pacific Ocean as she is a package of many things” Quincy says of his wife in high esteem.
He revealed that he is ready to meet Esther’s parents and clean his name from the many dark allegations that have been said of him.
“The bible commands that we should respect and honor our parents. I am ready to meet with her parents formally and make peace,” he says with finality noting that he has met his mother-in law a few times although informally. “Esther is loved greatly by my family whom she has met several times,” the proud husband concludes.
There you have it. Esther; self-driven, vivacious, ambitious, submissive, resilient, and gorgeous.
Clothes by: Midas Fabrique, Mezzanine flr, Anniversary Towers, 0722 837 393
Makeup: Christine Mwangi 0722 639 733
Hair: Tony K. Salon, Westlands
