Chinweizu Oham: In Nigeria, Content Creation Is Huge Market

Chinweizu Oham, a young Nigerian filmmaker rapidly gaining recognition for her creative talents and innovative approach in the entertainment industry. She speaks about content creation in Nigeria and her new show. Oluchi Chibuzor brings the excerpts

Content Creation seems to be your forte looking at your profile. How would you rate content creation space in Nigeria?

 I think it is an emerging market. I see many creators pop up on my Instagram and TikTok quite

 frequently, focusing on different aspects of life in Nigeria. Nigerians are natural comedians, so I enjoy watching the comedic content that comes from some of our people. There is a lot that can be showcased about the Nigerian way of life and I think Nigerian creators are doing a good job of showing the good, the bad, and the ugly through content creation.

Talk to us about your show, titled “Chin’s Way”?

 For the past year since graduating, I have been exploring creating something of mine that could allow me to use the skills I learned in school. During this time, I joined the cast of a live sketch comedy show which helped me build and practice my comedic timing. I also began creating  videos for Tik Tok and grew my skills as a content creator. Doing all this gave me the confidence to be able to launch my venture, which is where Chin’s Way comes in.  While Chin’s Way is a semi-scripted talk show, I am still bringing in the techniques I learned as I will be playing a heightened version of myself. All my movements, my actions, and the things I say will be turned up to add to the comedy. In each episode, I will bring on one of my friends who has a different opinion on a specific topic. Nothing too serious; for example, the first episode will be about nature and being outdoors. I, as the host, will be against or for the topic, and my guest will have  the opposite opinion. Each episode will follow the same structure, opening with a story of my history with the topic, then we will introduce the guest, and begin the interview portion of the episode. In this, we will discuss the topic and why the guest loves it. So, in the case of the first episode, we will talk about why my guest loves hiking, camping, etc, and why I hate it.

Throughout the episode, the interview portion will be interrupted by various little game segments. The episodes will end with us hopefully having found some common ground and an “atonement” section where I have to do what I have spent the episode being against. So, for the  first episode, I will go on a picnic, in the park, and sit on the grass. The chosen topics are lighthearted but will be made to feel like much higher stakes to add to the comedy of the situation as a whole. The show will be posted on YouTube and TikTok and clips will be available on Instagram. These are the places where we can best reach the audience we want.

What does this show bring to the table and how will it be a game changer?

 First and foremost, the show is for Gen Z by a Gen Z. It brings a fresh take on the typical format of talk shows. I’m not just interviewing my friends, getting to know more about the things they love, and playing games with them, I’m also playing a character. We are introducing conflict and tension, and we’re resolving it in a comedic, very sort of unserious way. It shows that you can have very different opinions from other people, but still be great friends, and that there are healthy ways to have disagreements. There are many talk shows out there, but this is a first of its kind. I truly believe it will grab the attention of the younger generation, who are always looking for something new and who will appreciate the sort of satirical take on traditional talk shows. And eventually, it will grow into something so much bigger.

What can young people learn from your story emerging from one who had a dream till  now?

 They can learn to just give themselves time. There have been so many times when I felt like  giving up, times when I questioned if this was the right path for me. Being an entertainer is not a stable career at all, and you have to get used to a lot of rejection. Thankfully, in my case, I have a family that is very supportive and a great community that I built in New York through church and school that are all rooting for me to succeed, which is very important. It is very hard to go through life alone, and a good community, family, and strong faith are paramount. Nine-year-old me just knew I wanted to act, to entertain, but I had no idea how to get there, or if I would ever be able to. I had to overcome a lot of insecurities I felt both in and out. The day I finally admitted  that I wanted to go to acting school as I couldn’t see myself doing anything else, was a big moment of growth for me. However, acting school was only the beginning because going to school does not guarantee a job in the industry. After graduating, when I wasn’t working or doing anything, I started feeling as though I had failed, as though I made a mistake in not pursuing a more stable career. It took a lot of crying and praying to realize how far I had gotten. I had to remind myself that I graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Acting in an accelerated three-year program. That was not an easy feat, and it taught me that some things take time; ideas take some time to come to fruition, and sometimes you just need to give yourself some grace.

I’ve learned that some days will be harder than others, but it will all be OK in the end. Now, I not only have this show I am creating and starring in, but I am also currently interning at a talent agency here in NYC where every day I learn more about the ins and outs of the industry. Surely, things are falling into place.

In your view, what’s the future of content creation in Nigeria?

 I think it’ll be a big market. Nigerians are very funny and creative people, and I am constantly seeing more and more content pop up from Nigerians on TikTok and Instagram. Different kinds of creators: beauty, fashion, lifestyle, comedy, food, travel. There is so much to do with Nigeria,  it is so rich with culture, and more people around the world are getting very interested in the culture and people. Where there is demand, there is supply. So, many more content creators will be coming up to showcase the rich culture and lifestyle of Nigeria in the coming years.