Almost thirty years ago, a young lady by the name Stella arrived with her family from Japan, triggering a set of events that made Freshley Mwamburi compose the famous song ‘Stella Wangu.’
While Freshley Mwamburi had a chance to tell his story, no one gave Stella an opportunity to plead her case, until now. PostaMate can now reveal the intrigues, miscommunications, and drama that led to the heartbreak.
We caught up with her where she lives with her family at the Okoyoma Prefecture, which is basically the Githurai of Japan. Just average Japanese life; nothing fancy and nothing eye catching. Despite the fact that she is a medical doctor, Stella likes simple and small things in life, including short husbands.
She has not moved on, because there was nothing to move on from in the first place. Stella stated that from the beginning, they were friends with Freshley Mwamburi, and that’s all. They only related as friends.
Stella and Freshly Mwamburi were Just Friends
“We were just friends. He was very supportive and we became even close when he helped me to pursue my further studies in Japan. It is the kind of things one will do for a close friend.”
How then did matter escalate to a global crime of passion? What led to Freshley Mwamburi becoming the first man in Kenya to open his heart? Stella thinks that it was just a miscommunication and is not sure of the reason behind it.
“I was shocked to see him shocked when I came back. I invited him to the airport because he had been a key pillar in my life, and wanted to see him celebrate my success. He even came with the boys, and I was happy to see all of them. I don’t know why he didn’t want to see my Japanese husband and the baby. Its like he was no longer interested with my success. I just don’t get it.”
But if there was nothing between them, how comes Stella never informed Freshley about her marriage while in Japan? Stella thinks that it was not an urgent matter, as he would get to know about it when she came back. She had not even informed her own parents, and it was also the era before mobile phones. “Mwamburi did not even have a PO Box address. I could not share such personal information through a letter that is sent via the local primary school address.”
Stella further added that relationships are a complex thing and what you hear may not be the reality on the ground. Her silence for almost thirty years had made almost everyone to believe that she is the one who was on the wrong, yet she was an innocent victim of miscommunication. “It’s said that the one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him. This is what Freshley Mwamburi did and ‘Stella wangu’ became the villain of the fairy tale.”
Fetching Water on the Wedding Day
Any regrets? None whatsoever. Stella said that she came to learn about the song years after she went back to Japan, and was shocked to hear the narrative that Freshley Mwamburi was peddling around. Luckily, the song was never translated to Japanese and never went viral outside East Africa.
Her advice to people who are setting up themselves for a similar scenario is to make their intentions known. “You know that a man who hangs around a beautiful girl without saying a word, ends up fetching water for guests at her wedding. If you have intentions, make them known. Otherwise you will end up a musician.”
