Lorna Achieng’ the daughter of the late Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Francis Ogolla, has euologised his father as a humble and loving family man.
According to Lorna, his father was a determined man in what he did, and would take on challenges without fear of failing.
She recalled a time when her father was posted for training in France, and had to learn French Language.
Lorna said her father worked hard to grasp the new language in six months, including sneaking out of hospital to attend to his studies.
“During this period he swallowed a fish bone, it got lodged into his intestines and he was hospitalised for two months. He was sneaking out of Defence Forces Memorial with my mom, to Alliance Française to take his French exams so that he doesn’t disappoint the Government of Kenya,” Lorna shared.
On April 18, where reports on General Ogolla’s death were still a hearsay, a little-known Lorna took to Linked In to mourn his father.
This, she says was despite her father’s dislike for social media limelight.
“I posted about my father for the first time ever immediately after Joel confirmed he was dead. He did not like social media. He did not like being in the limellight, he appreciated to do his work in silence and not having people talk about it. So not many people knew he was my father,” she said.
“In the aftermath of my post, I thought I was only posting this for my global team so that people would know why I would be missing for a month or more. It blew up and I didn’t expect that,” Lorna added.
An only daughter of the General, Lorna shared how her father was committed to his family and taught them how to read the bible.
Ogolla always took a young Lorna to school, and would receive her from the airport and take her shopping.
The General will be laid to rest in his home in Siaya.
