NAIROBI – The recent funeral of Brian Chira, a 23-year-old TikTok star, has left the Kenyan community in shock and sparked a nationwide conversation about the intersection of social media, culture, and societal values.
Chira, an orphan who had amassed a following of more than 400,000 in little over a year, was known for his candid, witty videos addressing social and relationship issues. His life was tragically cut short in a road accident near Nairobi.
The funeral, held in the sleepy and remote village of Gitei, was initially planned for 500 people but saw an attendance of more than 5,000. The “Chira Clan”, as his fans are known, contributed to a funeral fund, which raised over $60,000, leaving the organizers stunned.
In this era of social media, when the deceased may have shared intimate details about their life to a large following, fans who feel they somehow know them may have different ideas. Videos and photos of the burial flooded social media, making Chira a trending topic in Kenya with over 7,000 posts days after his burial.
In Kenya, a burial is generally considered an important sociocultural event, and many rituals surround it. Family and community participation and attendance at funerals are highly valued. However, this was not the case for Brian Chira.
The funeral highlighted the power of social media and its ability to mobilize people. It also exposed some societal issues such as the behavior of the youth. Some of the attendees appeared to misbehave, with villagers reporting that they had never seen such a massive and unruly crowd of young people, some of whom were drunk.
The funeral of Brian Chira shocked Kenyans due to the sheer number of attendees, the amount of money raised, and the behavior of some attendees. It highlighted the power of social media in mobilizing people and the changing norms around funerals. It also sparked a conversation about the behavior of the youth and the impact of social media on societal values in Kenya. This event serves as a stark reminder of the profound influence of social media on our lives and the need for a thoughtful reflection on its broader implications.