Maleek Sanni, one of the young stars from the hilarious Nigerian group Ikorodu Bois, has been making waves lately.
If you’ve ever seen their viral videos where they recreate famous movie scenes using random stuff from around the house, then you already know how insanely creative they are.
Maleek (15), does all of this with his brothers, Muiz (20), and Babatunde (27), and their cousin Fawas Aina (18), and together, they’ve built something special.
Their skits didn’t just go viral; they blew up big time. We’re talking shout-outs from people like Will Smith and even the Russo Brothers, the guys behind Avengers.
One of their biggest moments was recreating the trailer for Extraction. It was so good, they actually got invited to the movie’s premiere, and Netflix hooked them up with real film gear. Commendable for a bunch of teens filming in their Ikorodu neighbourhood.
Now, Maleek’s taken things to the next level. He made his acting debut in the Nollywood movie in an Amazon Prime Original film Gangs of Lagos in 2023. He played young Obalola, a younger version of the film’s protagonist, and stunned viewers with a performance that was raw, real, and way beyond what most expected from a teen best known for comedy skits.
It earned him appraisals and even landed him a nomination for the Best Young/Promising Actor award in the same year. By 2024, Maleek had gone a step further, taking on the lead role in Aburo, and honestly? He crushed it.
Young Nigerians loved his performance, and it went on to prove how much of a force he is to reckon with, especially by younglings in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, who need to be inspired, as he has earned the role of a role model to them.
His performance further showed that he’s got way more range than just comedy. What makes Maleek’s story so cool is how inspiring it is. He went from filming skits on the streets of Ikorodu to working on actual movie sets.
It’s the kind of journey that proves talent, hustle, and a little internet magic can take you far. Gen Zs are definitely keeping an eye out for what he does next, because with Maleek, you just know he’s bringing something fresh every time.
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