As the African continent is gaining more and more global recognition due to its entertainment industry, one aspect that is rarely discussed is content creators. For many diaspora communities and curious outsiders, their content becomes a gateway to glimpses of everyday life in Africa. Not only do they challenge the image that the rest of the world imposes on the continent, but they also provide access to the stories of locals, authorities or in certain instances, even celebrities.

Whereas foreigners are focused on displaying poverty, chaos, and underdeveloped areas of Africa, our storytellers depict the contrary. We have selected the top content creators who we believe are currently making an impact and deserve their flowers. This is years in the making, and despite whether one may agree with all of their content choice, they certainly have put in the work and grown organically in our hearts.

Wode Maya

Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon, better known as Wode Maya, is the voice of Africa. A Ghanaian vlogger, YouTuber, storyteller, and Pan-Africanist who, since his early days in China, has made it his absolute mission to represent the best of Africa. Now a husband and father, Wode has visited approximately 38 of the 54 African countries, and with an African passport. To put it further into context, it is extremely difficult for an African to travel across the continent, let alone travel globally, which Wode does not shy away from displaying. 

However, this is one of the many reasons we adore him so much; Wode wants us to see the opportunities available as much as the potential our beautiful continent has to improve. To this day, he is the most followed content creator on our list, with an impressive 1,98 million subscribers on YouTube.

Steven Ndukwu

Stephen Anthony Ndukwu, or Stephen Ndukwu in short, is a Nigerian filmmaker and content creator. His videos explore Africa's diverse landscape as much as its people's drive for entrepreneurship and successful businesses. He recently began extending his reach by unpacking the lives of the diaspora in the Americas. Steven’s content comes across as an individual just like you and me who is trying to better understand the world around him, whilst uncovering a much-needed reality check of the unrealistic dreams some of the natives still believe in, for example, the perception that life in the Occident is all sweet.

Although Steven may not be the most popular or established YouTuber on our list, he certainly contributes in a unique manner that feels both amicable and relatable to the average viewer.

Tayo Aina

‍Tayo Aina has been perhaps Wode’s biggest competitor and rival throughout the years. A Nigerian documentarian and YouTuber who seemed to have the world in the palm of his hands, but when Africa needed him the most, he left. All jokes aside, Tayo just moved to Portugal; however, his content still embodies the spirit, mind and soul of the African man. Contrary to Wode, who focuses on the African world from an African lens, Tayo’s philosophy is rather about viewing the world, including our continent, from an African man’s perspective.

From Italy, Siberia, or the US, if there’s one Nigerian resident, Tayo will be the first to locate them and unveil their incredibly unique story. Some may say that the business-savvy (Lagos is evidently still within him) has the heart of an entrepreneur rather than a man behind a camera, and that is what drives him to the extent that he is willing to go to discover the rest of the world.

Korty Eo

Eniola Korty Olanrewaju, better known as Korty Eo, could be the girl next door. That is, if your neighbours were as cool as she is, following Wizkid around, setting up strangers on dates, and chilling with the most sought-after celebrities Nigeria has to offer. We are convinced that there is nothing Korty can not do, but in her free time, she mostly acts as an interviewer, YouTuber, and commentator. 

Korty’s content feels like exchanges shared in a friend group chat. Whereas online personalities want to display their best foot forward at all times and the highlights of their lives, Korty isn’t trying to sell you a dream. Au contraire, her content is raw, her settings are replicable; however, the magic lies in the way she can bring the human side of her subjects. In other words, Korty strips down the X-factor from your favourite artists, and suddenly, their dreams are attainable; they become a version of themselves we would never get to see unless it were for Korty and her content.

Shank Comics

Adesokan Adedeji Emmanuel, better known as Shank Comics, is a Nigerian comedian, streamer and content creator. For most, he has become a bridge for Nigerians and the diaspora to mingle, share laughs and connect through a lens we had never experienced before. Shank has organically put himself in the position of the go-to for American streamers like Kai Cenat and DDG, who want to visit and learn about Nigerian culture. Ever since, Shank has only grown in popularity, while his content mainly speaks to a young audience.

Shank’s content expands from comedy skits, food trials, to reality shows and more–to his core, he is an online personality who wants to make anyone laugh. Perhaps what was unintended is for Shank to play such a pivotal role in normalizing African beauty standards, Nigerian humour, and overall culture from the outside looking in. For long, the outside world had no idea about the African mind, and Shank’s skits not only make Africans feel relatable,  but also the content is refreshing to see.

Whereas music makes the world dance, our content creators are the guardians of culture. Africans have this unique ability to inform the mind and express themselves like nobody else. Their content feels personable, but also doesn’t shy away from showing their expertise, often looked down upon by outsiders. It no longer becomes a question of whether Africans can write their stories themselves, but how they can do so under not always the best conditions and yet still manage to overcome and succeed.

Related Stories: 
‍Gambian Boy Gone Mad - Says If President of Rwanda Kagame Can Invade His Neighbouring Country, He Should--Amidst Congo Genocide