The death of Kaizer Obed, a popular influencer on X, sent shockwaves to many who knew him, as a testament to the approval he won throughout his life.
At 25, Obed- also known as Grand Mullah- breathed his last on Saturday, February 3 while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
Upon learning about his unexpected death, Kenyans from different walks came out to mourn him, expressing the memories they had of the University of Nairobi graduate described by many as “brilliant”.
Among those who expressed their shock at Obed’s death was digital strategist Pauline Njoroge who described him as a “brilliant young man”.
“A brilliant young man, full of life with such a promising life. This is too sad,” Pauline Njoroge wrote in reaction to the news about his death.
Former Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Agnes Kagure also came out to mourn Grand Mullah, stating that he was a “self-motivated brand and PR strategist” who had managed to establish himself as a known brand despite his young age.
“I join the comrades’ fraternity in mourning the sudden demise of Kaizer Obed, a self-motivated brand and PR strategist who at just 25 years of age had founded his PR and Marketing agency and was poised for a great future; thanks to making good use of his contacts and mentors,” Kagure stated.
On his part, Abuga Makori- a blogger and communications strategist said, “Today you’re okay, tomorrow you’re gone. I remember my trip with Obed Kaizer alias Grand Mullah to Kilgoris during Stephen Letoo’s housewarming. I am profoundly shocked that he left us at 4pm.”
And the messages of commiseration kept streaming in on social media with friends and former associates reliving their memories with the deceased.
Rise of Kaizer Obed to Fame
As a young practitioner in the Public Relations field and an accomplished influencer, Obed brushed shoulders with prominent figures in Kenya’s political and corporate world.
His visibility started back in his University of Nairobi days where he was involved in student representation politics, among other activities.
Between 2018 and 2022, Obed graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government and also pursued International Relations studies.
His graduation photo with UoN Vice Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama had been his X profile photo for some time, an indication of perhaps how much he cherished the day he earned his degree.
With his knowledge and competencies, Grand Mullah went on to forge alliances with politicians by helping them to craft strategies and marketing their brands.
In his LinkedIn profile, the political scientist had indicated that he represented organizations in “high pressure situations” and helped to design communications strategies for them.
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He also started his own firm, Grand and PR Agency, which offered consultancy services including Digital Strategy, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Digital Marketing.
Obed as a Political Influencer
From time to time, Obed would appear on national television as a commentator on political shows.
In the 2022 election campaigns, Obed played an active role in influencing and shaping opinions and narratives through his profound influence on social media.
By then, Obed was an Azimio la Umoja Coalition wingman although he would later soften his stance on the Kenya Kwanza side after the elections.
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His activities on social media earned fame and following from Kenyans as well.
Like is the case for many social media influencers, Obed would keep his audience engaged with content from trending news and engaging posts.
On Friday, February 2, Obed posted an update on how Cooperative Bank had raised its daily ATM [automated teller machine] withdrawal limit by 50 percent to Sh60,000 in what would become his last post on X.
