Geoffrey Lubia is an artist who knows what it feels like to scratch the barrel for a living.
The 43-year-old recently shared his story with the public, leaving many with an awful taste in the mouth as they watched him crush cockroaches.
Lubia started eating cockroaches three years ago after his makeshift hotel located in Nairobi’s Upper-hill area was knocked down to pave way for road expansion.
“I was left with nothing. Things got thick. My wife and children went back to Kakamega leaving me behind to hustle in the city,” he said.
He said “Life became unbearable, pushing me to the limit. I slept hungry. It was hunger that pushed me to eat cockroaches to fill my stomach. I soon became addicted to eating the insects,”
It was around that time that he started honing his artistic skills; something he believes is inborn.
“I started by painting airbrush portrait of Deputy President William Ruto that took me more than a month to complete. The art was inspired by his story about his humble life, from selling eggs in the 1980s,” says Lubia who ha been keeping DP Ruto’s portrait for two years. He adds that, “It is a special gift for him when he will be available to accept it.”
