Anthony Migui

Anthony Migui graduated from Strathmore University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He was in the inaugural first Apprentice Africa reality TV show. Chude Jideonwo writes about Anthony's post-show press conference.

It was difficult not to be impressed with Anthony at his post-firing press conference. The journalists present certainly were. And it is quite a feat to impress journalists. They are trained to be cynical.

Whilst on the show, people thought Tony gave in too easily; actually he thought he was being noble. "Leadership is a delicate matter. What I think is leadership might differ from what your think." He was explaining his decision to take the firing in his strides: "I didn't fight that much because I felt responsible for the team and for the team's loss – and so I deserved to be fired."

This is certainly a rarity in any business or corporate terrain, and Anthony, working in financial services in Kenya, certainly knows this. But he sees it completely differently: "I am an internal auditor, and my work is all about ethics – I cannot do what other people do. I do what I feel is right."

That doesn't mean he doesn't have respect for people that go out there and hustle it out ... like Nigerians. "I love Nigerians – you guys, you just go out and do it. You guys are brave people."

Oozing confidence and a cool, attractive charm, he had only the best words for his team. "TV can't show you everything. If you were there with my team and you saw how they broke their backs – they really worked, my boys did. I took two people into the boardroom with me because I had to; they did well under the circumstances but they were the weakest links – but if I could I would have gone in alone."

His team did well, according to him, but the girls did better: "The girls were like wounded animals, they came out fighting – we were good, (but) they were better."

About his plans for the future, going home to Kenya is first, although a question about Bank PHB got his mind working. "If they gave me an incentive, I could stay back!" He said as he laughed. "This is a big, big bank growing very fast – who wouldn't want to be associated with them? Remember, I am also in finance," he pitched. "Look at their ads – brilliant stuff."

His eyes are set firmly on the future, including his marriage in June to his wife named ... June! And even though his joy would have been complete if he had won the $200, 000 in June, he is only stoic about how it has turned out. "I knew I had a 1-18 chance. I realise I lost the money, but come see me in 8 months, (and) I will have made $400, 000."

There was an easy confidence to his words – and to him. "If I could do it again," he said, with a smile, "I'd do it the same way."

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