This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
Published on July 1, 2019, Bob Collymore's childhood was marked by a mix of laziness and determination. In a past Story Moja festival, he confessed that apart from loving reading and sports, his other fascination was girls.
Collymore, who was the CEO of Safaricom before his untimely death, attributed his laziness to his grandmother, who spoiled him and let him get away with things. However, his mother played a crucial role in pushing him to work hard.
Collymore shared that he did his O Levels at the age of 14 but only managed to pass three subjects. He then moved to live with his mother in England, where she gave him an ultimatum to pass three more O Levels within three months.
Despite struggling with maths, Collymore excelled in history and economics. However, he did not get to attend university due to financial constraints, and instead, he went to work.
Collymore's passion for books and cricket was evident in his childhood. He loved Shakespeare's books and enjoyed acting on stage. He also had a passion for cricket, which he found enjoyable because even if you're not good, you can be covered by the other players.
Collymore's fascination with girls started at a young age, and he learned the importance of emotions through reading 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', which made him cry. He started working at the age of 16, finding a job at a shop where he cleaned the shop and shelves, which helped him understand the value of hard work.
