Why Social Media Followers Don’t Equate Success: Case Study- Azziad

June 3, 2025 19

TikTok sensation Azziad Nasenya is back in the headlines with another harrowing revelation of her financial status being in shambles. The TikTok star has once again, been the subject of ridicule after audios leaked revealing she is still borrowing money from friends.

The first incident came up a few months back when the same situation happened and she became the laughing stock of many. This put into perspective why most content creators are leaving a life that is complicated and how having social media influence does not translate to being successful.

The Azziad story is not an isolated case because there have been numerous incidents where celebrities have struggled to offset bills despite their huge following online. Kenya alone has had multiple internet personalities turn to begging when the flashy lifestyle online went sour.

Omosh, a celebrated character on TV, turned to begging at one point and even got Kenyans to contribute and build him a house. Mustapha, once a superstar in Kenyan music has also gone through the same case.

The reason why Azziad seems to be getting a lot of backlash is because of the opportunities we have seen her exposed to since she started as a TikTok dancer at the onset of COVID-19. Her simple dances on that platform earned her multiple endorsements that should have set her up for life. Azziad went on to become a part of the Talanta Hela team and went on multiple trips with the then Cabinet Secretary of Youth Affairs, Ababu Namwamba.

The TikTok star also was on radio at that same time and from a fans perspective, everyone knew she would not be struggling with small bills. The multiple exposes that have been done about her ever since the year started dispute this fact. She went from being the most sought after brand ambassador and is also considered one of the pioneers of influencing in the country, to being a beggar on WhatsApp audios.

The turn of events has been monumental and it goes to show that fame is not as shiny as it feels anymore. Most of these influencers we see online can barely string consistent meals and afford the luxury we think they do.