NFTW: Corruptok: Humour As Resistance

What’s good my people? I hope we’re all doing well and looking forward to a great week ahead. As I’m writing this week’s newsletter I’ve got Stevie Wonder playing in the background. Yesterday I picked up Innervisions on vinyl and I’m probably going to do a review on it next week. Stevie is clear of everyone and I mean everyone (yeah even Michael!). Before you get the pitchforks out let’s get started this week—we’re talking all things corruption, well kind of.

CorrupTok: “The Economy Is Doing Wonderfully”

For the last week, I've been obsessed with a new TikTok trend called "CorrupTok" emerging among Gen-Z users, particularly in Nigeria and across other African countries. As I've scrolled through these videos, I've realised this trend goes beyond mere entertainment—it represents a powerful form of digital protest where young people use humour and satire to critique politicians accused of corruption, with Nigerian President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu often at the centre of these posts.

The videos typically feature young creators mockingly embodying corrupt politicians with captions like:

@ejalonabdullahi

(ALLEGEDLY)….Dude😂😂#corruptok #fyp #creatorsearchinsights #relatable

At first glance, I admit I shared the skepticism of those who find these videos inappropriate or insensitive. But looking deeper, I've come to appreciate how this trend might actually be an effective form of political mobilization. By using humor as a vehicle for political commentary, these creators are engaging peers who might otherwise tune out traditional political discourse. They're building communities around shared frustrations and aspirations in ways traditional organizing sometimes fails to achieve.

CorrupTok stands in a long tradition of political humor as resistance. In Soviet-era Eastern Europe, political jokes became a crucial form of grassroots opposition. When direct criticism meant imprisonment, citizens circulated jokes like "Why is toilet paper in the Soviet Union like success? Both are impossible to achieve, and when you do, it's very rough." Underground magazines like Poland's "Bumerang" spread satirical content mocking communist officials and their policies. This humor created psychological space beyond the regime's control and fostered solidarity among citizens—eventually contributing to the movements that brought down the Iron Curtain.

Similarly, during the 2011 Egyptian revolution that formed part of the Arab Spring, activists weaponised humour against the Hosni Mubarak regime. Protestors in Tahrir Square carried satirical signs and shared biting memes that mocked the president and his government. The popular satirical TV show "Al-Bernameg" (modeled after Jon Stewart's Daily Show) hosted by Bassem Youssef became a powerful voice for continuing criticism after the initial protests. This use of humor helped reduce fear among protesters, created social bonds, and made complex political issues accessible to broader audiences—demonstrating how laughter could be revolutionary in challenging authoritarian power.

This use of humor as both coping mechanism and political tool reminds me of what Nigerian literary giant Chinua Achebe described during the Biafra War:

When I consider the potential impact of CorrupTok, I see how it creates an accessible entry point for political engagement. These videos spread rapidly, reaching audiences who might never read a political analysis article. They create a shared vocabulary and reference points that can translate into real-world solidarity and action—just as Soviet jokes once did for dissidents who recognized each other through shared humour.

For Gen-Z Africans navigating the challenges of countries where political elites often treat national budgets as personal accounts, these moments of satirical laughter provide not just necessary respite but the seeds of collective action. What seems like simple jokes today could hopefully ultimately help transform political consciousness and mobilise a generation to demand accountability from their leaders—continuing a tradition of resistance through humour that has helped topple seemingly immovable regimes throughout history.

YouTube: Another Week, Another VLOG (Kinda)

First things first yes, I'm still filming! But I need to make a confession: no one told me just how much work goes into creating a good VLOG! What looks effortless in a 10-minute video often represents hours upon hours of planning, filming, re-filming, editing, sound adjustment, color correction, thumbnail creation... the list goes on. I’ve got a back-log of videos to film and get out but the process has been demanding but fun.

These past few weeks have given me a profound new respect for all those OG YouTube creators who've been at this for years. These people aren't just content creators—they're walking film production studios, handling everything from ideation to final delivery, often while maintaining a consistent posting schedule. Respect for real. While I get back onto my posting schedule - I hope you enjoy my latest (kind of) video.

Until next week. Peace.

*Let me take this moment to say that if you’ve seen any Corruptok vidoes that are funny - please find a way to send them to Laughing at these TikToks were the highlight of my week last week!

**I’m sure you can also see a style change with this newsletter - I’ve made the switch from Substack to beehiiv (again). I find the design and UX better which makes it easier for me to write these posts. If anyone has any strong preferences for Substack let me know—I did think it would be better for reach but I’m not too sure.