JUDGES MAY HAVE A FINAL SAY ON YOUR STAY IN A COMPETITION BUT NEVER ON YOUR DESTINY.

In 2013, a young and hopeful Ken Dumbo  Grade 12 school leaver stepped into the world of media auditions with dreams as vast as the sky. With over 250 contestants vying for a spot in the Born & Bred presenter search, the odds seemed insurmountable. Yet, with unwavering passion and determination, he rose through the ranks, capturing the public’s heart and votes. Despite a setback that could have shattered his dreams, this aspiring presenter turned adversity into a stepping stone, eventually becoming a successful TV host and creating his own comedy channel. This is a story of resilience, faith, and the unyielding belief that no one but God owns your destiny.

Ken Dumbo took to social media and wrote –

“In 2013 I auditioned for the Born & Bred presenter search where over 250 people had turned up. I was only a Grade 12 school leaver with two years experience in society.

God knows I have always wanted to be a radio & TV presenter since my 6th Grade. The audition was an opportunity for me to show my skill and have my first job as a school leaver and ZNBC TV was a big deal for me.

To cut a long story short, from 250 participants I was shortlisted among 60 that made it to the next round and later to the 30 who where then paired to showcase their talent and skill on live TV right on ZNBC TV 1 and the public where to vote for the best duo to be new hosts of the show.

Guess what, I made it to the top 4 finalists and later on made it as a finalist male presenter by Public Votes BUT the judges came in and said despite me winning via public votes, I could not be host because I did not have any media experience compared to my colleagues, shocked right, yeah that’s how I was too… That’s the only think that made me miss the opportunity.

I was touched , I cried BUT I did not lose hope. I kept on pushing and guess what….5 years later, I returned to the National Broadcaster as a Presenter for a Comedy show which I hosted for close to 3 years, not just as a Presenter picked by luck or chance but a qualified journalist with experience, because I had to go to school after losing that opportunity in 2013 and graduated in 2017.

From 2018 to date, I have atleast hosted TV shows and promotions for various companies on atleast four different TV stations. Even if I was not given an opportunity to be on TV now, suffice to mention that God gave me the knowledge and wisdom to create my own TV station where I make my own content and am the only presenter at KEN DUMBO Comedy TV thanks to the judges that felt I was not qualified enough…they made me go to school.

I can say a lot of things to advise someone out there but let me end it by saying…. NO ONE OWNS your destiny But GOD. The negative people say about you must not break you but make you strong and make you push EXTRA HARDER.

WHEN YOU BELIEVE AND PUT IN EXTRA EFFORT…GOD GIVES YOUR HEARTS DESIRE AND BELIEVE ME….ONE DAY YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND SAY…….YES I WAS HURT ……BUR IT WAS WORTH IT.”

And to Ken we say “That’s an incredibly inspiring story! Your journey is a testament to perseverance, resilience, and faith in one’s dreams. Your experience highlights the importance of not letting setbacks define you but rather using them as stepping stones to achieve greater things. Your story will undoubtedly motivate others to keep striving for their goals, no matter the obstacles. Thank you for sharing such an encouraging message!”

What do you think about his journey and judges dismissal statements, and rejections?

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