Pius Mithika, a Kenyan man living in New York has made headlines in the recent past for trademarking the name ‘Msaidizi’.
Mithika trademarked the word barring it from being used in several sectors, an issue which has sparked controversy with Kenyans citing that the name is a local Swahili name.
In the patent documents as seen as Kenyans. co.ke, Mithika barred the use of the name in several sectors including:
“Education; providing of training; entertainment, sporting and cultural activities; arranging and conducting of concerts; conferences, arranging and conducting of workshops (training); entertainment services; online publication of electronic books and journals and financial services,” the document read in part.
In defence of his stance on trademarking the name, Msaidizi emphasised that he had used the name since he was a pupil in Meru to date and it is now part of his brand.
In his explanation, Mithika narrated adopting the name asking God to be his helper, a name which he retained and continues to use as his mantra.
However, his personal life is as interesting as his decision to patent the Swahili word, Mithika is now a Board Member in an Investment Banking Firm based in Wall Street.
In the banker’s story of grass to grace, Mithika talks of being raised by his grandmother in Meru County after his parents separated and losing contact with his mother.
Mithika cited living through poverty forced him to drop out of primary school multiple times and take up odd jobs to fend for himself and his ageing grandmother.
However, in an interesting turn of events, Mithika ended up receiving more than three fully funded scholarships for his university education from various universities abroad, after his high school studies were funded by a local bank.
Mithika took up a course in Finance at Michigan State University, a decision that later landed him an investment banking role at a French Firm in New York.
The Investment Banker is also an accomplished author and celebrates finishing his Masters’ Degree in Finance which landed him the board member role at the Wall Street Firm.
He also continues to run charity initiatives under the brand Msaidizi Empowerment Initiatives.
Mithika is among Kenyans, who have moved to copyright phrases. The list includes; President William Ruto and the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General, Francis Atwoli.
Francis Atwoli trademarked the popular phrase ‘Alaa’ after it became an internet sensation, while the President trademarked the phrase ‘Mambo ni Matatu’.
By
Source-https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news
Meet Kenyan Diaspora Wall Street Investment Banker Pius Mithika
