Jibril, the award-winning director of “Churchill Show”, is the epitome of triumph over adversity.
He has created numerous TV productions, documentaries and music videos besides nurturing talents for both gospel and secular artistes. To date, the cinematographer has directed more than 1,000 music videos and interacted with over 80 percent of artistes in Kenya.
Orphaned at the age of nine, Jibril lived as an urchin in a Nairobi slum before a Congolese pastor adopted him. His knack for production began while in church where he developed interest in dancing. After honing his skills in audio production, he moved on to video production.
Starting off as a freelance video director and producer, he founded Link Video Global, his first company, through which he has mentored and groomed young people who have an interest in artistic expression.
My main calling is linking people to their career destiny,” says the director who studied cinematography in the US.
Jibril has become an influential figure in local and global video production.
He says his phone never stops ringing with people asking him to help them achieve their dreams.
“So we came up with Pace Foundation whose key mandate is to unearth talent. We do this through paying school fees for young people or help them record music,” says the self-driven director.
Being a pretty famous person has come with its fair share of blows and unpleasant rumours, which he admits make him worried.
At the heart of his success has been his deep belief in God and the power of partnerships.
“I started as a dancer, then became an artist, producer, video director and now entrepreneur. God has allowed me to move and He keeps surprising me.”
Two years ago, he struck a deal with Chinese based Pace Communications to unveil the first ever-Kenyan designed headphones.
When he is not directing a shoot, he is travelling or watching movies.
–Lynet Igadwah
