A story is told of Julius Gikonyo Kiano, the first Kenyan to earn a PhD and a man who would with time serve in Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's government as the Minister of Labour.
But very few know about his love life, save that he divorced and disinherited his first African American wife Earnestine Hammond and married his second wife Jane Mumbi.
Initially, Kiano was on the verge of marrying Coretta Scott, who turned down his proposal on grounds that he was too bright, political and would head back home after graduating.
He was then a student at California University, where his supervisors termed him "the brightest foreign student California University ever had," says Dorothy Stephens in her book "Kwa Heri Means Goodbye: Memories of Kenya 1957-1959" as quoted by the Standard.
Ironically, after ending their 5 years of dating, Coretta ended up in the arms of civil rights crusader Martin Luther King Junior, who was far much political and popular than Gikonyo.
But Earnestine was, on the other hand, a troublesome lady who accused Gikonyo's relatives of taking advantage of his advanced education.
She accused them of staying for too long at their home without her husband telling them to leave.
In 1966, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had her deported back to America for causing a scene at the United Kenya Club and embarrassing Dr Kiano for being too drunk.
Dr Kiano succumbed to heart attack, aged 73, in 2003, seven years before Earnestine died, in California, aged 84.