Eric Obuya, better known as MC Exodus, has made millions laugh. But few know the pain behind the punchlines.
Before comedy, before fame, and before TikTok, he was struggling with life.
“I had nowhere to go. I used to sleep in a toilet,” he said in a recent interview. “That was my reality for a while.”
Today, Exodus is one of Kenya’s fastest-rising content creators – with over a million followers on TikTok and tens of thousands more on Instagram. His skits, simple and sharply funny, reflect the everyday chaos of Kenyan life.
But behind the humour is a story of survival – and one pivotal moment that changed his life.
One Conversation That Changed Everything
It was during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic that Exodus crossed paths with veteran radio presenter Alex Mwakideu.
At the time, Exodus still held hopes of joining radio. He approached Mwakideu, hoping for guidance.
“You’re the first person who inspired me,” Exodus later told him. “I told you I had a gift in presenting. You told me, ‘Yes, but show me what you can do first.’”
Mwakideu didn’t promise him a job. But his words planted a seed.
Exodus took that advice seriously – and started creating skits on his phone.
Finding His Voice Online
The videos were rough in the beginning. Filmed on basic equipment, they touched on daily Kenyan realities – being misunderstood, struggling with communication, or simply navigating life with no money and no options.
“I make content based on real things. The things we go through as Kenyans every day,” Exodus said.
He also brought something different — something most people would hide.
“Since I was young, I had hearing issues. I always ask people to repeat what they said. Instead of hiding that, I use it in my skits,” he explained.
That honesty – awkward and funny – resonated deeply.
From a Toilet Floor to the Churchill Stage
Long before TikTok, Exodus tried to break into comedy the traditional way. In 2016, he appeared briefly on the Churchill Show. It was a taste, but not a breakthrough.
Nairobi wasn’t kind in the years that followed. He worked as a househelp – a job that didn’t last. With nowhere to go, he slept in abandoned places, including toilets.
He didn’t give up.
When the pandemic hit and Mwakideu’s words came back to him, he picked up his phone again. This time, the timing was right — and the audience was listening.
Building a Following -and a Career
Exodus now boasts over 1 million followers on TikTok and 64,000 on Instagram. His fans range from teenagers in Kibra to grandmothers in Kisii.
He’s also collaborated with familiar faces like Mama Kayai and Mogaka, blending modern digital humour with the nostalgia of classic Kenyan TV.
What stands out is how grounded he’s remained.
“I didn’t go to school for media,” he said. “But I had a phone. And I had stories.”
A New Chapter
MC Exodus’s journey reflects something bigger: the new wave of Kenyan creators who are building platforms on their own terms -without big studios, expensive equipment, or formal training.
But it’s also about resilience.
From a young man sleeping in a toilet to one of the most recognisable online comics in Kenya, Exodus says it all goes back to that simple challenge from Mwakideu.
“He told me to start with what I had,” Exodus said. “So I did.”
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