Way before Maraji made all of us want to ‘e go be’ our day jobs and start Instagram hustles. Or before Lasisi swiped left and found the perfect mouth filter, we had a couple of OG Instagram comedians who, in their own unique ways made all of us laugh and forget it was mobile data and not stole wi-fis we were using to view them.
Most of them started on Vine, the micro-video app and had quite the following before deciding to pivot to video. However, when the Dollar reached 360 naira to $1 and rice prices climbed and climbed to reach 12k a bad, and we needed them the most, some of them vanished. Admittedly, some of them are still very active in the game, but while a lot of wrapper-tying comedians and other stylized comedians have saturated the Instagram comic scene, let’s give respect to whom it is due and remember the very firsts to do it big:
SamTakesOff
At his peak on Vine, he had over a million followers. Currently on Instagram, despite taking a long break from comedy and trying his hands out on music, he still has a considerable following of 58.2k.
Most of his skits had him playing an atypical, disgruntled ass Nigerian dad, quick to light his son at the slightest misstep. A lot of the time, when I was in a bad mood or needed some cheering, his page was always there to cheer me up, one super slap at a time.
Sadly, he has taken a break from skits, even taking all of them from his Instagram page, to focus on school, to fulfill a promise he made to his mom before her sad passing. But don’t weep just yet, he might be making a comeback yet, as seen in this tweet from a couple of weeks ago:
Anyway, let’s thank the internet for keeping his videos for us. Enjoy this quick compilation video of some of SamTakesOff’s best work.
DontJealousMe
probably one of the very first internet comedians in Nigeria. He may be directly responsible for lighting the flames for e-comedy over here. He even had a whole animated comedy series on his YouTube page, we stan a trailblazing king. Still very active on social media, dropping hilarious videos on his Instagram page, our fave is a daddy and full-time actor now.
He is currently starring in a Netflix original show alongside Rupert Grint, from Harry Potter, so yes, he is fully blown blown now.
NaijaBoyz
if you didn’t know the words to their Single Ladies remix back in ‘09, what were you doing with your time please? Kings of making the most hilarious, out of pocket remixes to some of the biggest songs, Naija Boys were my favourite go to YouTube page back in the day. And to be honest, these guys put in the work. They rap, sing and shoot full videos for their remixes, we need to put a ton of respek on their names. They were still very active as at two years ago, trying their hands on original music of their own. They’ve been a little quiet since then, but we’re hoping to see more of their good stuff in the future.
Here’s their cover to Rihanna and Drake’s work in whom I am well pleased:
Dulo
Full name Abdulazeem Dulo- was another one of the pioneer stars on Instagram. Currently racking up 739k followers on the platform, he has been consistently cracking us up from way back till this year of our lord 2018. Recently, he made the move to the big screen, and brought his Nigerian dad talents along, starring as Tunde in the TV series- African Booty Scratcher.
Here’s a clip of him doing what he does best, cracking us the hell up.
No introductions necessary, Chief Obi has is one of the OGest, OGs in the Internet comedy game. Dominating Instagram with 307k followers, he’s really one of the biggest in the game. Other people seem to think so, he recently got a $1 million brand ambassadorship deal from Vomoz Flex brand and is currently working his way into the music industry.
Check out this very recent hilarious skit, that I still turn to when I need a good laugh, and appreciate the genius that is Chief Obi.
Nigerian entertainment is taking on entirely different forms from 90s evil stepmothers and ghosts wearing powder. One of such forms is digital art, most popularly in the form of animation, and we are so here for it. Ever since the Malika teaser video dropped, I have been fangirling at the amount of detail that went […]
The only thing better than a success story is a success story in the making. That’s the feeling I got when I spent some time with Team Neptune, made up of the nine Nigerian teenagers who won InterswitchSPAK’s inaugural “Innovation Challenge.” InterswitchSPAK 1.0 Innovation challenge is just one segment of InterswitchSPAK’s National Science competition, organised […]
30+ back jokes are some of the most viral tweets on Twitter. Everyone knows that turning 30 changes your body but I wanted to know how it affected women specifically. I made a call for 30+ Nigerian women to share some of the ways their body changed when they turned 30. Here’s what five of […]
A while ago, we made asked Nigerian Gen-Z’ers what they think about Millenials and they had a lot to say. Now, we asked a few Nigerian boomers their thoughts on Millennials. Christiana, 60 A lot of people my age do not give them enough credit. They were born into a system that cannot be classified […]
Prior to what the internet and that certain website say, sex can be very awkward. If there is one thing that can ease the tension, it is music. As we are in the business of being generous, we have complied 7 foolproof methods to help you create the perfect sex playlist 1. Ask your father […]
Cadbury Nigeria, a part of Mondelēz International, and producers of the iconic Bournvita, a cocoa beverage drink, has rewarded the top three winning schools in the second edition of the Bourn Factor School Talent Hunt Competition, which took place nationwide, in 2020. The winners were unveiled at a media parley held at the Company’s head […]
Onscreen chemistry is one thing Old Nollywood got right. Some actors and actresses just had this thing that left you rooting for them hard even when you don’t think you should be. We decided to rank the top five couples from Old Nollywood that were everything. Genevieve Nnaji and Emeka Ike I know Tony Umez […]
Last week, we created a viral quiz that tested your knowledge on the capitals of all 54 African countries and y’all did pretty great. Now, we want to see how well you know the flags of those same countries. Give it a shot:
Most of us can probably sketch a pretty accurate outline of the Nigerian map, but how many of us can honestly claim to know where all the states are located? Well, this quiz is here to test just how well you know your own country. Try and get at least 18 states:
Are you a professional Yoruba demon? Are you walking around in search of whose life you can wreck at any given time? Well, this quiz knows exactly how many hearts you’ve shattered to date, and before you lie that your result is inaccurate, just remember that Zikoko is never wrong. Now, take it and be […]
In the past month, we’ve made quizzes that guessed the last time you had sex, how many people you’ve slept with, and just how good you are in bed. For our latest attempt, we will use your taste in Nigerian music from the 2010s to ascertain what you’re like in bed. Take to find out:
Colours are more than something the eyes see, they’re also a representation of behaviours and personalities. Take this quiz and we will tell you which colour best describes your personality. Let’s begin.
Are you all set for marriage, or are you still figuring it out? Well, if you’re curious to know the answer, then this is the quiz for you. All you have to do is create your own ideal Nollywood wedding film, and we’ll tell you if you’re ready to say “I do”. Go ahead:
For Creators Spotlight, we spoke to Bahati Imaan Beauvais, the name behind YungNollywood. She is a young Nigerian living in Toronto and Lagos, who is very passionate about the old and new Nollywood scene. With 51.9k followers on Instagram and 35.8k followers on Twitter, Imman has created content that has proven to be timeless and […]
Blackness is an identity that black people all over the world sometimes struggle with. The irony, however, is that even though we all share this identity, we experience it differently because of the countries we live in. Spurred by the many different experiences she has lived through as a black person in Nigeria, the UK, […]
You have probably heard of Queen Amina, but you may not know her story as much as you know about Wonder Woman, Black Widow, or even Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty. And that’s a pity because Queen Amina was right there at the conference meeting when the guide for “Badass Female Hero” was written. […]
The only thing better than a success story is a success story in the making. That’s the feeling I got when I spent some time with Team Neptune, made up of the nine Nigerian teenagers who won InterswitchSPAK’s inaugural “Innovation Challenge.” InterswitchSPAK 1.0 Innovation challenge is just one segment of InterswitchSPAK’s National Science competition, organised […]
Nigerian entertainment is taking on entirely different forms from 90s evil stepmothers and ghosts wearing powder. One of such forms is digital art, most popularly in the form of animation, and we are so here for it. Ever since the Malika teaser video dropped, I have been fangirling at the amount of detail that went […]
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
Life is already hard. Deciding where to eat and get the best lifestyle experiences, isn't something you should stress about. Let VRSUS do that for you.
Z! Stacks
Here's a rabbit hole of stories to lose yourself in:
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
What happens when a group of chatty young Nigerians talk about things they're passionate about? You get Nigerians talk. A show that discusses very familiar struggles for the average Nigerian. From relationship deal breakers to sex education with Nigerian parents to leaving Nigeria, be prepared for a ride.
Join The Conversation
Bring a friend.