Inside the mind of Wilkins Fadhili
Since Saturday, Edwin Osigro popularly known as Wilkins Fadhili has been the man on the hot seat for falsifying representing big names to advance his career.
The self-proclaimed brand strategist claimed on his twitter page that he represents big brands such as BBC Africa’s Business Editor, Larry Madowo, TV presenters Betty Kyallo and Victoria Rubadiri, Radio Host Adelle Onyango, among others. The public figures have publicly denied that Wilkins ever managed them and some even went ahead to say they don’t even know him.
“I don’t know who this individual is and I’ve never met him. I’m taking legal action so don’t get conned using my name,” wrote Madowo.
In a Switch TV interview, Wilkins said that the reason he used people’s names to advance his career was out of ignorance but it was also a strategy. He also admitted that he has been living a lie to get people’s validation.
“I have always wanted to be a brand strategist, and I’ve done that for a couple of brands. But I was in that situation where I was like I just want to get up there without really trying to follow the right procedure. But I am so disappointed in myself. I think people’s validation really mattered to me. Like how I wanted people to look at me, how I wanted people to think about me,” Wilkins confessed.
The pressure to fit in was so much that he lied in a national newspaper that he sold 3,000 chapatis in Kakamega to fund for his Masters degree at the University of Leeds.
In spite of all the backlash from social media pages, Wilkins is not considering to change his career as he claims that is the only thing he can do best. In fact, the CEO of Fashion Torch and BrandLab Africa has said that he is ready to dance to the music of his actions.
“I am reaching out to every person that I have offended. Because I am also changing my line, so I would also love them to reach out to me and just chart a way forward. Even if it’s a matter of either refunding their money, or looking at ways I can gain their trust in me. Because most of those people I owe money, they gave me money for service delivery in terms of doing for them brand strategy. But it’s my prayer that each and every person I have offended, to give me an opportunity to show them that truly I can do this,” Wilkins said.
