Loan I took for girlfriend who dumped me almost d£stroyed my life— Content creator, Baami

Loan I took for girlfriend who dumped me almost destroyed my life— Content creator, Baami

Content creator, Samuel Adegbeyi, popularly known as Baami, talks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about his content creation journey, relationship and growth

What inspired you to go into content creation?

My journey started long before content creation.

When I was in secondary school in 2009, my father became seriously ill and later passed away. After his death, I moved in with one of his relatives and continued my education under their care.

After finishing secondary school in 2015, things became very difficult. I wanted to further my education, but I could not gain admission immediately. My family eventually left me in the care of a neighbour who agreed to accommodate me.

At first, she treated me well, but after some time, things changed. Because no one from my family was checking on me or taking responsibility for me, I began to experience neglect and hardship.

We later moved to another apartment, where a neighbour noticed how I was being treated and asked about my situation. I explained everything to her, and she took me in.

Despite all I went through, my dream was still to become an accountant.

When did you begin your content creation journey?

I started in 2024 while I was in my final year (HND II).

During my last semester, I met someone who is now my manager. He encouraged me to start creating content. Initially, I wasn’t interested because I didn’t want to expose myself on social media or become a public figure. However, he kept encouraging me until I agreed.

Everything I have achieved today started because of that encouragement.

At some point, other content creators began inviting you to feature in their skits. How did that happen?

I have not acted in movies, but several skit makers have invited me to feature in their content. I have worked with about five or six of them so far.

How did you feel when people started inviting you for jobs?

I was very happy because it showed that people appreciated what I was doing.

Initially, I wasn’t putting much effort into content creation because my dream was still to become a chartered accountant. That was the career path I wanted for myself. But as I continued creating content, I saw progress and realised there was a future in it. That was when I decided to fully embrace it.

You spoke about your father. What about your mother?

My mother is alive, although she is currently not in good health. She is sick, but she is managing.

We are four children—two boys and two girls—and I am the first child.

Did you ever face discrimination in school because of your physical condition?

Yes, many times.

When I first got into school, many of my classmates did not want to associate with me. However, as they got to know me better and saw my abilities, their attitude changed and they began relating with me better.

Has anyone ever said something hurtful to you that you can never forget?

Yes, I have experienced that. People have said hurtful things about my appearance, but I choose not to dwell on those comments. Instead, I focused on improving myself and moving forward.

Did those experiences ever push you into depression?

Yes, there were times when I felt deeply depressed because of what people said and some of the challenges I faced.

Have you ever been in a relationship?

Yes. While I was in school, I met someone and we became close before eventually starting a relationship. I genuinely loved her and wanted to support her.

At one point, I borrowed money from an online loan app to help her start a business. I borrowed about N30,000 and added my personal savings before sending the money to her.

Unfortunately, after receiving the money, her attitude towards me changed completely.

What happened afterwards?

That decision changed my life.

The loan had a very short repayment period, and because I couldn’t repay on time, the interest kept increasing daily. Eventually, a loan of about N30,000 grew to more than N300,000.

To repay one loan, I started borrowing from other loan apps. Before I knew it, I was trapped in debt.

For almost a year, I struggled financially and emotionally. There was a period of about four months when I could barely function. I stayed indoors most of the time, and the friend I lived with took care of me. He cooked for me, and sometimes I ate leftovers the following morning because I could barely take care of myself.

It was one of the most difficult periods of my life, and I survived only by God’s grace.

When did you start making money from content creation?

I started on TikTok.

My manager encouraged me to go live regularly. During my live sessions, people supported me by sending gifts and money. At first, I did not even know those gifts could be converted into cash.

The first major amount I received from TikTok was about N500,000.

Have you started earning from other platforms as well?

Yes.

I later expanded to Facebook. Although I started creating content in 2024, I only began earning from Facebook in January this year.

How much was your first Facebook payout?

My first Facebook payment was about $200.

What life lessons has your journey taught you?

Everything that has happened to me, I believe, is part of God’s plan. Whether things are going well or challenges come my way, I believe everything happens according to His will.

If those experiences had not happened, I probably would not have gone into social media and content creation.

I remember when I took that loan while I was in a relationship. The following year, I was supposed to return to school for my HND, but I couldn’t afford it because I was trying to repay the debt. I had to wait another year before continuing my education.

During that period, I met my manager and started content creation. If I had returned to school as planned, I might never have met him, and my journey could have been completely different.

So, I believe everything happens according to God’s timing. What happened to me was part of the journey that brought me to where I am today.

Who are some notable personalities you have worked with?

I have worked with Oluwadolarz, Nasboi, Shank, Cute Abiola, among others.

How do you feel working with these personalities?

They are very nice and encouraging whenever I meet them. Working with them makes me feel good because it helps me grow.

When people see that I work with these personalities, it also gives them confidence in what I do. It motivates me to keep improving.

You have worked with many content creators and celebrities. Was there ever a time you felt embarrassed on set or someone made you uncomfortable?

No, I have never experienced that with them. The celebrities I have worked with have always shown me love.

I remember when I first met Cute Abiola, he corrected me and guided me on how to do certain things. He didn’t make me feel bad; he explained everything respectfully.

Whenever I needed corrections, they corrected me in a positive way. Nobody has ever embarrassed me.

What kind of content do you create?

Currently, I don’t have one specific niche. I create different types of content based on opportunities that come my way.

When I started, I created content involving women because people believed I would not be able to interact with women or socialise because of my condition.

Later, I moved into reaction videos. Now, I create different forms of content where I portray different characters, including a boss, a businessman, a mechanic and other roles. I create different stories and personalities.

Some people are curious about your condition and want to know what caused it. Did your parents ever explain what happened?

When I was younger, my parents told me that something changed after I received my childhood immunisations. My mother believed it might have been linked to that. She also said it could have been inherited from my father because of our physical resemblance.

However, my grandmother had a different perspective. She said my father was not born that way and that something happened later in life that changed him.

Growing up, I heard different explanations from my family. Some believed it was linked to my immunisation, while others believed it was connected to my father’s experience. So, there was never one clear explanation.

Was there ever a time you felt discouraged or wished things were different?

I wouldn’t say there was ever a time I wanted to give up. The only thing I can say is that I did not have many supporters before.

Since I started content creation, I have gained many fans and supporters. They support me financially, through their comments and by following my work.

On Facebook, I currently have about 1.3 million followers. My main TikTok account was banned a few months ago, but it had about 1.4 million followers. The TikTok account people currently see is my backup account.

I have supporters both within Nigeria and abroad.

Do you still intend to pursue a career related to your educational qualifications, or have you chosen a different path?

I have told my manager that I don’t want to use my certificate to look for a job.

Many of my classmates are still trying to complete NYSC, but I have already passed the age requirement. I don’t want to put myself under unnecessary pressure because content creation has blessed me.

I also consider the difference between what I could earn with my certificate and what I currently earn through content creation. Content creation is paying my bills.

I have also grown my YouTube channel, although I have not started earning from it yet. Seeing other successful creators motivates me and gives me confidence that I can also succeed.

Do you see yourself getting married in the future despite your past experiences?

Yes, I believe I will get married. Even my family encourages me to settle down.

The only challenge is finding true love. It is not that I have never met people who care about me, but sometimes, misunderstandings affect relationships.

Now that I have achieved some level of success and popularity, some people are interested in me because of my money and fame.

However, I believe that, by God’s grace, I will find someone who genuinely loves me and supports me.

Where do you see your content creation career in the next three to five years?

I believe content creation will take me to many places. It will become a global journey for me.

I have fans from different countries, including India and many other parts of the world. I believe more people will discover my work, watch my content and appreciate what I do.

I see myself becoming a global creator.