The Morning Call: Enduring Wisdom in Public Service

By Josiah Kariuki
I frequently revisit, with purposeful consideration, that particular Saturday morning approximately twelve months past when my telephone rang precisely at 5:00 a.m. It was an unscheduled momentyet one that proved profoundly meaningful. At the other end was Stephen Isaboke, serving as Principal Secretary within the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, under the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy.
He had encountered an article I had composed, which was gradually gaining traction across digital platforms, and in a composed, modest manner, noted he had been monitoring my professional endeavors for a considerable period. I accepted his remarks with graciousness. Such acknowledgment is uncommonnot due to lack of dedication, but because validation frequently occurs without public recognition.
What impressed me most was the manner in which it was expressed. Here stood an individual bearing substantial national obligations, yet he interacted with sincerity, lucidity, and unwavering fortitude. It served as evidence that authentic leadership manifests through presence, modesty, and authentic relationshipsnot through hierarchical power.
That initial communication blossomed into a valuable companionship. Each subsequent exchange provides delicate yet instructive insights: he is deliberate in his thinking, methodical in his actions, and motivated by an objective extending beyond immediate achievements. His dedication to Kenya’s communication and digital sphere is evident, yet even more persuasive is his reverence for methodology, individuals, and fundamental aims.
The experience consistently evokes Darren Hardy’s The Compound Effect: modest, intentional behaviors accumulate progressively to yield exceptional outcomes. Transformation seldom materializes through dramatic displays; it advances thoughtfully, molded by continuity, fortitude, and the resolve to persevere even when advancement appears imperceptible.
This principlearticulated through the Latin expression perseverantiarefers to purposeful dedication: to continue constructing, enhancing, and trusting despite absence of commendation. Stephen Isaboke exemplifies this principle with extraordinary regularity. His leadership exhibits humility, his conduct demonstrates dignity, and his service maintains consistency. His impact is nurtured through moral character, self-control, and honornot professional status.
Our relationship constitutes both a privilege and an accountability: an invitation to elevate personal standards, perfect one’s capabilities, and remain devoted to the work itself. That solitary telephone conversation continues to resonate with an essential teaching:
Continue performing the task. Continue perfecting the skill. Continue respecting the procedure. Continue proceeding with perseverantia.
Eventually, the labor will articulate itselfand when it does, it will be comprehended, not merely noticed.