Meet Veteran Kenyan Radio Journalist Now Promoting Devotion to the Holy Eucharist

In her interview with ACI Africa, she shared about her faith as a child, how she ended up in the media, as well as the big turning point in her life when she decided to devote all her strength to Church activities, especially in engaging digital peripherals to evangelize.

In the Thursday, March 7 interview, she also shares her biggest spiritual struggles, and how she overcame them.

Ciku’s message to Catholics in seeking to promote the faith in Africa is to make everyone aware of the “real presence” of Christ in the Eucharist. “That’s it,” she says, and adds, “That’s where all devotions lead.”

Here is the full text of the interview that ACI Africa had with Ciku:

ACI Africa: What’s your faith background from as long as you can remember?

Ciku: I was raised Catholic. I was doing devotions such as the Holy Rosary at a young age. I was baptized as a baby and received the other Sacraments of the church before I was a teenager.

ACI Africa: You are one of the most popular radio personalities in Kenya, with vast experience in lifestyle journalism. What attracted you to this beat?

Ciku: In the past, I would have said it was purely by accident but now I know better. God has a plan for us all and opens up the paths necessary to walk on purpose. I was sitting at a studio somewhere, passing the time and the voiceover lady they were expecting did not show up. I was asked to fill in (the radio advert was needed urgently). They loved my voice and recommended me to the Head of Radio at Capital FM. My interview lasted 5 minutes and I was hired. So tell me, accident? Or God?

ACI Africa: Did you always want to be a journalist?

Ciku: I always wanted to write. I had my nose in a book constantly as a child.

ACI Africa: How did the experience in secular media help you transition to what you do in promoting spiritual growth especially in digital spaces?

Ciku: I don’t look at what I do from the spectrum of what I did before. All I do is post prayers. I feel like anyone can do that. And everyone should do that. 

ACI Africa: I knew you during your days at ‘Busted’, which exposed cheating couples. Briefly share something about this program especially for the younger generation that didn’t experience it. 

Ciku: It was a show where someone who suspected their spouse was cheating on them would call me to uncover the truth. I did this by spinning a tale about something and they would admit to their infidelity. The aggrieved spouse who could hear everything would then confront them. These clips still go viral, especially on TikTok. To prevent people from constantly uploading without my permission, I had to remove access to the Busted clips from my YouTube channel. 

ACI Africa: What is the one thing you loved about the program? And what didn’t you like about it?

(Story continues below)

Ciku: Busted was great. Adultery is a mortal sin and shining a spotlight on it made people think twice about what they were doing. The only thing I didn’t like about it was always answering questions about Busted. It appears I’m still doing so now. Ha ha. 

ACI Africa: Do you mind sharing any personal struggles you have had, especially spiritually, and how you overcame them?

Ciku: My struggles are fairly recent. When you go for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament you learn how to communicate with Him. He comes to you in your thoughts and sometimes His voice is as clear as day. My spiritual director asked me to be still, sit in silence and let Him speak to me so we understand what He wants of me. That has been hard since I’m a talker and love to tell Jesus everything that is going on with me. Being still and silent is a challenge. I’m overcoming it by praying more. I do the Liturgy of the Hours every morning when I wake up and in the evening before bedtime. This is on top of daily Mass, Adoration and the full Rosary. 

ACI Africa: What was the biggest turning point in your life when you decided to dedicate your energy to evangelizing your thousands of followers?

Ciku: Sharing is caring. I posted this in 2016 after doing a novena where all my prayers were answered: 

“This works! I'm so thankful!!!! Are you in dire need of something? Try saying The Storm Novena or The Flying Novena. It's called so because you are "storming the heavens" with your prayers. You should say this Novena for 9 consecutive hours - At the top of each hour. Or once a day for 9 days. I have been saying this novena and my prayers have been answered LOUDLY. Thank you, Infant Baby Jesus of Prague and the Sacred Heart of Jesus for granting my request. I will always be dedicated to You dear Jesus and have faith that You will always be by my side. Your faithful servant - Ciku.”

That would mean I have been doing this for over eight years … Wow. I didn’t even realize that it’s been this long. So clearly when you make a promise to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, He holds you to it. Ha ha…

ACI Africa: Many of your followers know how you promote novenas, spiritual retreats, and participation in Church development projects. Kindly speak briefly about these and any other ways you promote growth of faith in the Catholic Church in your capacity as a lay person.

Ciku: I could talk about all those things but anyone who is curious can simply follow me online. The best way to promote the Catholic Church is simply this: To make everyone aware of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. That’s it. That’s the tweet. That’s where all devotions lead. It’s remarkable how many people gloss over John 6:53–56. Jesus was very clear. And doubled down. He IS the Eucharist. 

If I said to you that you could meet anyone in the world today that you admire, what would you do? Let’s say Oprah? If I said you could spend an hour with her? You would shop for the perfect outfit. You would tell EVERYONE you were going to meet Oprah. You would be so excited. So how is it that people do not know that they can have an hour (even the whole day if they wish) with the Son of God? Not an abstract concept of Him (Christ is everywhere) but the ACTUAL Man/God in the flesh? One to one? That is what the Holy Eucharist is. 

The Blessed Sacrament, the Host after consecration becomes the actual Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bread of Life He promised us. There have been thousands of Eucharistic miracles where the consecrated Host, when abused or put in the wrong hands (and it is found somewhere on the ground) turns bloody. This blood when tested is always AB. A nod to the universal recipient because Jesus receives everyone who seeks Him. 

The host from Eucharistic miracles also contains striated tissue that shows it’s from a human heart in distress. Science, ironically, long used to dispel belief in God is what is PROVING the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. And our beloved Catholic Church is the only place where this Host – This Sacred Heart - is put before us in an Adoration chapel where we can sit before Him and speak to Him about anything and everything. What an honor, what a privilege! 

ACI Africa: What challenges have you faced in your efforts to evangelize?

Ciku: Some non-Catholics usually have a lot to say about the devotions I post, especially the Holy Rosary.  But I encourage everyone who prays on my page to make it up to Our Lady by fasting every Wednesday and Friday and offering it up to God “for the love of Jesus, conversion of sinners and reparations for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

ACI Africa: Kindly share some tips to evangelize using digital peripherals.

Ciku: Ask the Holy Spirit for help. A lot of people do not pray directly to the Holy Spirit. Make it a habit. Ask Him to direct you every step of the way. Once He is involved, you can’t go wrong!

ACI Africa: What is your message for the people of God in Africa where Christianity is reportedly growing exponentially?

Ciku: Someone told me that the mistake we make in Africa is to build churches and schools instead of factories. He also said we need to stop having children (giving an example of the West and how they only have two kids and are able to buy their children cars at 18 years of age). This is where people get things twisted. Europe has the most beautiful churches that were built centuries ago when art was king - when builders sought the Holy Spirit and He breathed life into architecture for Holy spaces. But no one is going to those beautiful churches… Attendance is low. 

Africa suffers from the burden of corruption, brain drain and stolen resources but we are rich where it matters – Faith. I may not give my daughter a car when she turns 18 but I will give her more wealth than she can ever count when I introduce her to the Eucharistic Christ. He owns the whole universe and will give her anything that will not lead to the perdition of her soul. 

There are no problems that cannot be solved if one simply walks into an Adoration chapel. Try it today. Education is important to sift through all the lies that are peddled online. And Catholic churches are vital because that’s where you find the Eucharist. Jesus. In the Flesh. The Great Teacher who is literally the Bread of Life. Education and the Eucharist will make this continent flourish; watch this space.