Nigerian passport, my main problem as travel content material creator — Tayo Aina

Tell us about your instructional background.

I grew up in a middle-class household in Lagos and received secondary training in the state.

I then went to the Federal College of Know-how, Akure, Ondo State, to review Property Administration and graduated with a second-class diploma. After my commencement, I decided that I needed to do one thing that would earn me cash. I didn’t get a job then, and Uber (an e-ride-hailing firm) had come to Nigeria, so I signed up to be a driver. I did that for seven months in Lagos while attempting to boost funds. It was in the middle of that I found my curiosity in pictures. I began utilizing my cellphone to take footage of locations in Marina, Lagos.

What influenced your choice to grow as a content material creator, with an emphasis on YouTube?

I realised that many of Nigeria’s locations weren’t properly documented. In the meantime, I watched movies of locations resembling Canada and the US of America and saw how folks (content material creators) made movies about New York (USA). I then determined to do the identical for Lagos. So, I began making these varieties of movies for Lagos. I learned how to make movies on YouTube, and then I went into the filmmaking area to study professionally. I began making movies for folks for his or her weddings, birthdays, and documentaries. I often jumped on any alternative I bought to carry the digicam to movie one thing, whether or not I paid for it.

From filming lots, I cherished the documentary model of filmmaking more than all the opposite varieties of movies I made. After I went into YouTube totally, I ultimately stopped after some months, stopped making movies for folks, and centred on making movies for YouTube. That was because I needed one thing that might be in my management. I needed to create one thing that was my concept and expression. On YouTube, I began documenting locations in Lagos, telling folks about fascinating locations they may go to, and telling tales about actual property. From there, I started telling extra stories about Nigeria and Africa, then the world typically.

I learned all the things I learned about filmmaking on YouTube. Additionally, observing the lives of many journey content creators in the US and UK, I admired their liberty.

From a young age, I had always hated working for anyone. I began doing enterprise (I offered sweets to my classmate) in main two. I had the mindset of determining an approach that didn’t have me working for anyone. After I found YouTube, it was an approach out. I additionally cherished making movies, which were enjoyable and fascinating to me. It was the proper expression for making movies to dwell on one’s phrases, and that made me determined to grow into a YouTuber.

When and how did you get into making movies?

It was sometime in 2017, after I was an Uber driver, that the curiosity got here, and I developed it. Earlier, I had not achieved anything regarding pictures or movies. After that, I realised that while driving and seeing a construction, I used to be in a position to know if it could look good in {a photograph}, so I began utilizing my cellphone to take footage. While taking the pictures, I didn’t understand how I used to be going to monetise it; however, from there, I realised that folks wanted the service. I am famous for my ardour for making movies, and I found a solution to generate profits using it. From there, I started studying and falling in love with it as I grew.

Do you edit the movies you make yourself?

By 2020 and until 2021, I edited all the movies I made. Now, I have a staff that edits my films, although I edit a few of my Instagram movies and short movies.

On the common, how long does it take you to shoot and edit a video?

The timeframe to shoot and edit a video will depend on the video. Some movies might take up to a month to shoot and edit, whereas some could be achieved in two weeks. On the contrary, it takes a couple of weeks or two to move and edit a single video. Most of our contents are high-production movies, and as a result, we’ve to journey to these areas to the movie, then come again to script it, work out the way it’s going to be, and edit it afterwards.

Not many Nigerian content creators make the sort of movies you do. Why did you stay in that area of interest and never join the gang?

I always like to play in uncontested market areas, doing issues that no person else is doing, following the trail nobody else is following. I like simply going with my approach and figuring out my problems. All the pieces I’ve achieved to date have been a testament to that. I like the difficulty of the established order. My imaginative and prescient life is to problem the established order and inspire folks to do what conjures up them. I feel that following what everyone seems to be doing doesn’t work for me, so in any area I enter, I always wish to do issues in another way. I consider there must be one thing that units one aside.

I observed that no person was making movies about journeys that had the same high quality as those I noticed that had been made within the US, in addition to informing an essential story about these locations. I needed to make movies that folks all over the world might watch and get to find out about locations resembling Lagos and Nigeria. It was a lot tougher due to most individuals having been making movies where they’d sit at the entrance of the digicam of their houses. That would have been extra handy for me, but it was about telling tales that nobody else had informed. Now, I’m trying to inform tales that haven’t been informed in my distinctive approach.

What is the stuff you look for earlier than figuring out the situation?

I like to search for locations with distinctive and intriguing tales because I like storytelling. For instance, if there’s something—maybe a competition—taking place in Congo or somebody is doing something exceptional and worth telling, I might go there.

In 2022, I went to Benin Republic after I heard a couple of voodoo competition. And I made a documentary about it. I additionally discovered it fascinating that some folks reside with hyenas and even prepare them (hyena males), so I travelled to northern Nigeria to a movie about it. What I’m searching for could be in any nation the world over. So long as I discover one thing fascinating, I might add it to my listing. I also analyse whether my viewers can participate in specific content.

Can you take us through your inventive process, from ideation to making the movies until they appear on your YouTube channel?

First, it begins with researching the concept to know whether it is worth it. That’s adopted by scripting what I might say and how I method the story. From there, I share it with my staff, and we talk about it, then journey to these locations to shoot the movies. Once we get it again, we might search for the easiest way to edit it in an approach that could inform an essential story to the person watching. As soon as we’ve achieved enhancing it, we give you a number of drafts, after which we put it up on YouTube with a fascinating title.

In many of the locations you go to, you try their native meals. Have you ever had an unforgettable experience with any meal you ate during your journeys, whether for good or bad?

One of the many unforgettable experiences I had was when I tried consuming uncooked meat in Ethiopia. They have a cultural meal that is uncooked meat with pepper and salt. That was some of the most unhealthy food I had ever eaten.

On the plus side, I tried a meal in Botswana, and it was very nice and even better than most meals I’ve eaten in different parts of Africa.

Usually, what are a few of the memorable moments you’ve seen throughout your travels?

My most memorable second was in Nigeria when I went to experience the Hyena males in Kano. Simply experiencing the northern part of the nation and the tradition with the hyena males was so fascinating to me. It’s certainly one of my most memorable experiences.

Additionally, visiting Namibia and the purposeful place where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean was fascinating. New York (US) is another place I always needed to go to, so going there was noteworthy, too.

One of the main challenges I used to face was the truth that my Nigerian passport was such an enormous downside for me when it got here to travel the world over. They usually take a look at one as if one is planning on not returning, or as if one is a felony; and that basically affected me. It brought me detained in South Africa, denied from going to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), arrested in Ethiopia and informed to excrete in the bathroom within the presence of many individuals. I additionally bought accosted in Kenya. These experiences weren’t good. Having a Nigerian passport may have folks one way and another way.

Additionally, travelling throughout Africa is pricey. I truly consider Africa the most costly continent to travel through. It’s so costly because there aren’t sufficient connections and journeys are often so tough to plan.

Apart from being a YouTuber, what are your different pursuits?

I’m curious about real estate and hospitality. I’ve always had a curiosity about real estate, design, and structure…mainly about creating an area for folks. I plan on going into that sooner or later.

What would be the reactions of your family members if you grew to become a YouTuber?

My dad and mom have at all times identified me as somebody who likes making an attempt at various things; as a result, I have tried different companies after I was young. I even had a restaurant after I was at school. They most likely knew that I might be superb, so they didn’t oppose it. My mum was extra supportive, although it was not like my dad opposed what I used to be doing. He was detached, though he may need to consider me going to high school to have the ability to get a job. He knew I might finally determine it out, as a result of always obtaining it no matter what I got down to do.

I kept at it and was able to stand on my toes. Additionally, they began seeing me travelling, and their buddies had been watching my movies too. As time went on, they started to have extra appreciation for it. It was not as if they didn’t care, but their appreciation for it elevated.

What would you like your audiences to remove from watching your content material?

The purpose of my content is to coach, entertain, and encourage people. I want them to look at my content and be motivated to do something they need. I additionally need my content to challenge the established order, make folks look at issues in a different way in whatever profession or area they discover themselves, and help them find what works for them.

Which nations are nonetheless on your bucket list?

I’ve toured Nigeria and Africa, and now, I’m travelling the world. I’ll nonetheless go to the US of America and Canada. I wish to discover the Caribbean and Asia. Primarily, I want to learn the world, sharing what it seems to be like through my lens and my perspective as an African who is discovering the world.