Kenyan actress Jackline Nyaminde, popularly known as Wilbroda.
To many, Jacquey Nyaminde aka Wilbroda is the boisterous, sharp-tongued neighbour from Papa Shirandula, the sitcom that became a household staple and made her one of Kenya’s most recognisable faces. Wilbroda, 41, is also a radio presenter.
What many don’t know is that I have been in acting since 1999. I was on a show on KBC that I don’t recall its name and also on Better Days, a show on KTN, but Papa Shirandula is the show that got me out there.
The show opened up lots of opportunities for me, including gigs from big brands and eventually being on radio.
One thing that I really loved about the show was that it kept us (cast) together even after the death of Papa Shirandula (Charles Bukeko). I think that is what Papa wanted of us, that togetherness. Papa was actually like a father to us, because I remember when Jackie Vike (Awinja) got pregnant, he wasn’t happy at all. To him, at the time, Awinja was too young to have a baby. He was so protective of us.
The show ended a long time ago, but to this day, I still attract a lot of attention from the public. I go to public places, and everybody wants to say hello or even take a picture. It’s a beautiful legacy when I think about it.
Kenyan actress Jackline Nyaminde, popularly known as Wilbroda.
Papa Shirandula still does reruns on Citizen TV, but we don’t get royalties. I think that is because of how we signed the contracts back then. At the time, we only cared about the money we were making. We were young and excited. Now we look back and realise our mistake.
For most Kenyan artistes, not reading the fine print (of a contract) is where we go wrong.
There is a price to pay when you are famous because there isn’t anything private about you anymore. People feel like they own you. For instance, you can’t just go to a place and have a nice dinner with your loved ones without being interrupted.
Being famous also means there are things you can’t do, things that you can’t say even when you feel like you want to because they may end up being blown out of proportion. There will always be a price to pay for being famous.
Recently, I trended over the remarks I made about religion. Many concluded that I said I am an atheist. I’m not. I know that I’m spiritual, I conform to the idea of a superior being, but I do not conform to any religion or belief. That is why I don’t believe that there is heaven and hell. Your judgment is here on earth. You are judged on how you live. If your heart is free of any guilt, you are at peace with everything, then that is your judgment.
