Kenya film director Enos Olik says Sauti Sol’s banned music video ‘Nishike’ is what gave him a breakthrough to become one of the country’s most sought after videographers.

Released 10 years ago, ‘Nishike’ is the project that marked the beginning of his rise to the limelight as one of the finest video directors the country has to offer.

“It has to be Sauti Sol’s “Nishike”. That video was a game-changer for me. It was bold, fresh, and it got people talking. It really put my name out there and showed the industry that I had something unique to offer,” Olik notes.

Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) banned the steamy song on Kenyan television stating that it was not suitable for general family viewing. The board described the video as gross and unfit to be watched by children adding that the video as directed by Olik objectifies women and more particularly the girl child.

The ban only fueled the video’s notoriety and popularity, something Olik says did him more good than harm as he became a sought after video director that saw him direct over a hundred music videos.

However in the last couple years Olik has been transitioning to films.

“When I was starting out in music, I knew I wanted to tell bigger stories. Music videos were my playground, where I learned the ropes. TV directing and making films felt like the next natural step. I always knew I’d end up here,” he adds.

His latest film Jiji, currently streaming on Showmax, is a youthful drama series that takes him to the very heart of Nairobi’s neighborhood of Jericho, where four high school girls fight to escape the grip of a local kingpin.