Naomi Wasike.
In class, she teaches hospitality, focusing on food and beverage, as well as catering and accommodation. On TikTok, she is swinging on doors while dressed in oversized, baggy clothes that make her look like a 50-year-old.
Naomi Wasike's unique style, both in fashion and content creation, has turned her into a viral sensation, capturing the attention of thousands who follow her eccentric performances.
She has over 4.4 million likes and 424k followers on her TikTok page.
In her lectures, she describes herself as serious and professional, avoiding the spotlight that comes with social media fame. For security reasons, she never reveals the institution she teaches at.
"I can describe myself as somebody who likes dancing and the art of dancing, socialising, and meeting up with new people," she said.
When Wasike steps online, it is as though a different person takes over. She shares that her videos, which showcase her dancing and quirky stunts, like swinging from a door, were initially a way for her to cope with the heartbreak of a sudden breakup.
In 2022, Wasike’s then boyfriend of eight months unexpectedly broke up with her. The shock and pain led her to take a break from social media, and she fell into a deep depression. After months of withdrawal, she made a bold decision; instead of letting the breakup define her, she transformed her pain into art.
Dancing and swinging
That is when she came up with the idea of dancing and swinging on a door, a symbolic act of "letting go" and moving on.
"I was seeing somebody who was I very serious about. I fell into depression and I disappeared from TikTok for around five months. I stopped shooting content and I pulled away. I withdrew from society, just like that. Then,I saw this guy was moving on with his life and he was so comfortable, despite him hurting me," she says.
"I needed to do this to keep myself busy and take my mind off things. That is essentially how it all started. I decided to open a new account and start over."
Wasike had a fairly typical upbringing in Bungoma County. Born in Kandui village, she is the third-born of four siblings, raised by her mother, a high school principal, after her father’s passing in 2013.
"Life wasn't that bad. We were just like any other teacher's kids, maybe not the richest, but comfortable to manage to eat two to three meals a day," Wasike shares.
Her love for dance and socialising began at an early age, but TikTok was a late bloomer in her life. She joined the platform in 2020, inspired by the viral rise of fellow TikToker, Aziad Nasenya. She says it was just for fun, something to pass the time during the lockdown.
But as time went on, Wasike started noticing more creators on the platform.
"I saw people like Moya David making money and building a career out of it. I saw Azziad doing her thing and also benefiting from it. That is when I thought, instead of just dancing for fun, why not try to do what they are doing and see if it works for me too?"
At first, she was doing “girly” content but nobody was attracted to that.
"So, I switched things up. I noticed that when I embraced a more “mama” version of myself and changed my style, the videos got way more attention and views."
Naomi's peculiar choice of content, dressing like a village woman who is much older than herself and swinging on doors, quickly became her signature.
"The first video I did was around last year, and I was just swinging on that door. The video went viral, gaining a million views and attracting many followers," she explains.
From that point, she knew she had found her niche.
"I don't remember the song now but at that time, I needed to stop thinking about this person (ex-boyfriend). I needed to focus on myself and I needed to let go. So hanging on doors is just telling myself ‘you are okay’," she says.
Her baggy, old-fashioned clothes are another aspect of her unconventional persona. While some of her followers might assume they are part of her wardrobe, the truth is even more charming. Most of the clothes belong to her mother, who supports her daughter’s unconventional social media presence.
"My mum has a collection of clothes that she does not wear anymore, so I just dig through her wardrobe or even find something stashed in a Nigerian bag somewhere in the house," Wasike laughs.
The door in her videos, too, is not just any door but the one at her mother’s house, where she films most of her content.
"I don't shoot content at my house because it is not a familiar scenario for people. People associate me with that door."
She also has three precious pets, dogs: Lilo, Miracle and Alicia.
"Miracle was so sickly when she was a puppy... It is a miracle she made it to adulthood. Lilo and Alicia are just names I have always liked," she says.
Despite her fame, Wasike says her real-life persona drastically differs from her online image. In person, she is reserved and modest, often going unnoticed by fans who might not recognise her without her signature garb.
"I can walk down the street and no one would think I am the same girl from TikTok,” she admits.
Over time, she has built a loyal fan-base, and although TikTok does not directly pay creators in Kenya, Wasike says she has started attracting brand deals. Still, Wasike keeps her feet grounded. She is careful about the deals she accepts, aiming to secure fair compensation for her work.
For now, she balances her life as a lecturer with her growing influence on TikTok, never letting one overshadow the other.
"Apart from the income I earn from my work as a teacher, I believe there is potential for more. Maybe one day I could even become a full-time content creator; my main source of income, which is why I am sticking with it. For now, I am just swinging on doors and making people smile," she said smiling.
What does her family say about her content creation?
"My mom is actually very supportive of my TikTok journey. She knows I shoot content in her house, and she is okay with it."
Her siblings, help her manage her growing social media brand. "They assist with replying to messages and even negotiating with brands when I’m too busy."
"I am still in the process of negotiating with brands. Some offers have come in, but the money has not been quite right. But I am hopeful that one day, a major brand will reach out, and you will see it all over my social media."
Despite her growing fame online, Wasike also says she prefers living a surprisingly low-key life. “In real life, I am a “baddie”, not “kienyo”... What I portray on social media is completely different.”
