Abimisola Anibaba is a multimedia storyteller and host of Japa Diaries, a podcast delving into the African immigrant experience, while also creating online content and consulting for social impact and media brands focused on culture, community, and creativity. Her Zillennial habits—Instagram/TikTok splits for work-pleasure blending, no comment fights, and viral lessons from 2020 misinformation or early Vines—illuminate tech as a dual-edged tool for authentic dreaming amid fried attention spans.
Who are you? What do you do?
I’m a multimedia storyteller exploring what it means to live life on my own terms. I host Japa Diaries, a podcast on the African immigrant experience, create content online, and consult for social impact and media brands. If it involves culture, community, or creativity (and lives on the internet), I’m probably experimenting with it.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
My mornings happen in two acts. Act I: waking up at 5:30 for Fajr (one of five daily Muslim prayers). That whole routine is maybe 15 minutes. Act II starts around 8:30 am when I properly wake up, roll over, and scroll on my phone until the sleep has fully cleared from my eyes.
What’s the last thing you do on your phone before bed?
It’s either a quick game, a five-minute meditation, or scrolling until I’m over it.
What’s the app you open the most without thinking?
As a true Zillennial, it’s a clean 50–50 split between Instagram and TikTok. My screen time confirms this betrayal.
Would you say you have an online persona?What’s it, and how did you arrive at it?
I don’t think I have a full online persona yet… ask me again at the end of 2026. I’m taking my personal content more seriously now, and I’m really leaning into storytelling, cultural commentary, and showing what it looks like to design your dream life in real time. It’s really just my life as it is. I have zero desire to be something I’m not, it will always cast. So if that sounds interesting to you, follow me (@abimisola) there’s more to come 🙂
How do you use the internet: for work or pleasure?
Both, heavily. My work lives online, so even when I’m scrolling for fun, I’m still working: saving editing styles, storytelling formats, conversations I want to revisit later. Also in big 2025 how are you not using the internet for work?? Even mechanic get instagram page na.
What rules do you live by on the internet?
If you ever see me fighting in a comment section, just know I’ve been hacked. Call the authorities immediately.
What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?
2020, peak pandemic. I was working on a COVID awareness campaign, and the amount of misinformation, rage-bait, and straight-up harassment I had to field was wild. It forced me to grow tough skin fast. So now I get odeshi, a hater comment barely grazes me. I always joke that God was preparing me for when I blow.
Do you remember the first time something you posted went viral? What was it, and how did it make you feel?
Around 2013, there was a Vine of Aki (or maybe Pawpaw?) rapping “big dada, tell me who’s harder?” and I posted it. Omo, I crossed 100 RTs and thought fame had found me.
What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it?
We titled a Japa Diaries episode “Should Africans Be Allowed to Say the N-Word?” on YouTube. People saw the title, didn’t watch the episode, and sprinted to the comments. Again, arguing in the comments? Very eww.
What’s your favourite social media platform? Why?
Dare I say Instagram (it’s still f*** Meta sha). It’s probably the platform I’ve been on the longest and am most comfortable creating for. Somehow, they always manage to adapt to trends. I now catch myself scrolling Reels like, when did that one start?
YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?
TikTok, easily. YouTube is an entire universe: great for monetisation, but harder to break into. TikTok gives you a fairer shot at being seen and discovering content you didn’t even know you needed. Also my attention span is fried…
What was the last meme you saved?
Every Tuesday, I do a “TikTok Tuesday” on my IG stories where my followers rate funny videos I pull from TikTok. I won’t embarrass myself by explaining any of this week’s ones here. Just follow me @abimisola.
What is your guiltiest online pleasure?
Cleaning videos. You see those ones where they take a whole car apart and vacuum the crap out of it? Inject it like madddd
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned online recently?
I saw this creator’s series on stages of consciousness and as something really wanting to bask in my purpose next year, I’m like how can i break out of stage 4 jail. Highly recommend everyone look this up, this life is too short to not live fully.
Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?
Mr. Deji Osikoya is about to take over the world, honestly. We’ve had him on Japa Diaries twice; you can tell he’s very intentional about his work and that he cares about doing a great job every single time. It also helps that he’s incredibly personable.
Who is the coolest person you follow, and the coolest person who follows you?
Lmao, is it hating if I genuinely can’t pick one? I’ve been very intentional about not putting people on pedestals. At the end of the day, we’re all human, so “coolest” feels like a strong word. That said, I consistently come across creators who inspire me in different ways e.g. one person’s storytelling, another’s work ethic. I take bits from the people I find inspiring and remix it into my own thing. So not one person, but pieces of many.
What is your favourite Nigerian podcast?
Please, it’s obviously Japa Diaries. Don’t let anyone deceive you. The hosts? Elite. The guests? Top-tier. The stories? Chef’s kiss. Support your local business x
Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online?
Z. Not because I’m judging o, but God forbid I wake up to one subtweet or thinkpiece thread about me. Abeg, let me respect myself.
Five people you’d love to see answer these questions.
Amara Emrey-Ukiwo, Arese Osakue, Faikat Moliki, Feyikemi Akin-Bankole, Ekama Etim-Inyang
For reference, previous editions can be found here.
0 Comments
Add your own hot takes