By Dipo Olowookere

The world’s most popular online video community, YouTube, has released the top 10 Nigerian creators, who trended and had the biggest moments on the platform in 2021 in the country.

The list, according to a statement from YouTube, is to celebrate the content creators and reflects the growing popularity of original content produced by Nigerian creators on the platform with HouseOfAjebo, official Broda Shaggi, ApataTV+, Bakori TV, Lightweight Entertainment and Mr Macaroni all dominating this category.

It was further stated that this year’s creators’ list consists of channels that share hilarious skits and movies.

HouseOfAjebo, the channel that topped the list, shares funny cartoon skits and is managed by popular stand-up comedian, Erem Emeka Nehemiah, also known as Ajebo.

Samuel Animashaun Perry, a Nigerian comedian, actor, songwriter and musician who also owns the channel official Broda Shaggi is another top creator on YouTube in Nigeria this year.

In addition, the platform released the top 10 music videos in Nigeria on YouTube, with Chiké and Simi’s Running to you, Teni’s For You featuring Davido, and WizKid’s Essence featuring Tems, leading the list of most viewed music videos by Nigerians in 2021 on YouTube.

The statement explained that the selection of the top trending videos on YouTube for 2021 was based on a range of factors, beyond just viewership.

YouTube said, for example, it considered engagement while also looking at signals like shares and likes.

It stated that topping the list of top trending videos in Nigeria was President Kuti, a movie starring Ibrahim Yekini, Bimpe Oyebade and Odunlade Adekola on Yorubaplus.

The comedy skit video, Tetracycline and Septrin from HouseOfAjebo ranked second in the country, while Yoruba movies, Abebi, starring Odunlade Adekola, and Ete, starring Bolanle Ninalowo were also among the trending videos that got Nigerians clicking “play”.

Below is the full list of the different categories;

Top 10 Creators in Nigeria

Top 10 Music Videos in Nigeria

Top 10 Trending Videos in Nigeria

Of the 18 warriors selected for the Gulder Ultimate Search Season 12 Age of Craftsmanship, 14 of them were men while only four were women.

With seven contenders remaining after weeks of strenuous tasks, three of them are women and only one woman has been evicted so far while 10 men have been sent home.

Of course one would expect that since there were more men at the beginning of the show, it is only normal that more men will be evicted. What is however significant is the proportion of the number of men who have been evicted compared to women.

There were more than 20,000 applications for this year’s Gulder Ultimate Search across the different regions. Those that made the longlist were sent to the Sea School where they went through a rigorous selection process. The final 18 who made it into the jungle were selected not based on sentiment but their core ability to prove that they were better than the rest.

The same can be said of the women who made it into the jungle: Esitima, Chidinma, Omokhafe, and Jennifer. All four made it through the group task into the individual task stage. They showed that they were not mere pushovers selected only for gender balance as they have proven beyond any doubt that they can engage in physical and mental tasks as good as the men.

A notable example is Chidinma who can best be described as a no-nonsense lady. In words and in action, she has proven time after time that she can hold her own against anyone in the Amorokin clan. She told Kunle Remi, the taskmaster, that she would not allow herself to be looked down on by the men and has backed it up with her performance in the jungle.

In the ‘seek and find task’, Chidinma was the second person to solve her puzzle despite being the last person to find her bag. In the same task when there remained two contenders, Omokhafe and Tosin, the former controlled her nerves and was able to edge the latter to remain in the jungle.

If there is one thing the show has shown so far, it is that the women have outperformed the men by far. It is yet to be seen how much farther they will go as the tasks get tougher.

By Dipo Olowookere

The popular content streaming platform, Boomplay, has honoured a fast-rising music act in Nigeria, Adedamola Adefolahan, professionally known as Fireboy, for attracting over 100 million streams.

The singer is an artist signed to YBNL Nation, a record label established by a popular Nigerian rapper, Olamide Adedeji, otherwise known as Olamide.

With the latest feat, Fireboy has joined his boss, Olamide, and Burna Boy, who are already in Boomplay’s Golden Club with over 100 million streams on the platform.

A statement issued by the organisation disclosed that Fireboy’s music, according to an in-depth analysis of data, has enjoyed a total of 1,884 playlists inclusion and is currently being consumed in 107 countries worldwide via the streaming platform.

Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps, his 2019 debut album, is his most streamed body of work with 58 million streams and his most recent single Peru leading as his most-streamed single with 14.9 million streams, it was revealed.

In 2020, the Afropop sensation released his sophomore album Apollo, which had instant hits like Champion and Tattoo.

According to the platform, the RnB album gathered over 57 million streams on Boomplay by 2021, pivoting Fireboy’s ingress into the Golden Club.

The 25-year-old singer, who hails from Abeokuta, Ogun State, said he developed an interest in music while studying at Obafemi Awolowo University, though he was before then was a member of the choir of his local church.