Podcasting in Nigeria has become a form of storytelling within mainstream media, beginning in the 2010s, with names like I Said What I Said,F & S Uncensored,credited as some of the mainstream inceptions, touching on social commentary and Nigeria’s pop culture. Its imminent rise not only captured the zeitgeist but also built community across various media, such as music and cultural commentary. Here, My Best Friend, The Weeb, (inspired by Isekai light novel titles, which are often descriptive and long) hosted by two best friends, Deola Adebiyi and Kosy Diamonda, leverages podcasting’s growing influence as a way to reach more digitally inclined audiences while shaping up an otaku media niche in Nigeria.
My Best Friend, The Weebbegan in 2023. Before then, the two friends were working at one of Nigeria’s fintech companies – Bamboo – where they both spent time talking about anime.
“We both bonded over just talking about anime,” Kosy recalls, “and then one day, Deola’s manager at work suggested we start a podcast centered around anime. Deola and I laughed about it, but we began considering it. Deola then met someone who worked at Eggcorn- an independent creative marketing agency specialised in the creation of online, social content and eCommerce growth, we discussed the podcast with them, and the rest was history”.
With over twenty-eight episodes spanning two seasons, 1,000-plus all-time plays on Spotify, and one hundred fifty-six followers, the two best friends have featured guest artists ranging from some of Nigeria’s afrobeat artists like Ladipoe and Elestee, an interview with a cosplayer, a drunk anime quiz, spoken about their favourite anime song, anime villains, shared some unfiltered opinions about Jujutsu Kaisen,and various other things. In the beginning, the reception of the podcast at first felt uncertain, however IRL anime-focused community events helped the co-host meet more of their listeners, in addition to introducing them to a bigger potential audience.
“It was kind of hard to determine the show’s reception at first until we started going to anime events where we either had a booth and people would recognize us, at these events, we also made sure to talk about the podcast- as a way of getting more people to know about it”,Deola explains.
Like every other weeb, Deola and Kosy’s admiration for Japanese manga began at different stages in their lives. For Deola, her first introduction to anime was at university, where she watched popular series like Bleachand Code Geassthrough informal downloads. In Kosy’s case, she engaged informally too- watching shows like Narutoand Bleachon DVDs.
In the 2010s, in the absence of the prevalent anime on cable television, young people could also watch Japanese anime on DVDs. However, the only downside was that most of the DVDs’ content was pirated, and it became a chore keeping up; for instance, a show of five seasons could be split into ten seasons. This was part of Kosy Diamonda’s reality.
“Most of the anime I watched back then were of low quality, because there were mostly pirated versions, some of the episodes were always inconsistent, and at the end of the day, you’d find out you’re losing a good part of the show,”Diamonda laments.
Presently, there’s a rise in the digitalization of anime media, with streaming platforms like Netflix, Tubi, RetroCrush, and Crunchyroll. And in Nigeria, some of the platforms are not available, come with a paywall, or require the use of a third-party app. However, given Deola and Kosy’s informal background in interacting with anime, the two co-hosts are still navigating how to transition fully into the shift.
“I have spent all of my anime-watching life, having to find alternative ways to access anime, relying on pirated content, hard drive and getting anime from a friend of a friend. So it’s very hard, although I know I need to make this shift because I can’t host an anime podcast talking about anime, and I’m not paying for it. I do need to make that change,” Deola explains.
The two co-hosts also agree that a bolder anime access infrastructure, specifically legal streaming platforms and even anime distribution channels would go a long way in shaping the anime community in Nigeria. Beyond cultural differences and Nigeria’s worsening economy, Deola shares ways in which the anime community can grow.
“There’s so much talent and creativity within the anime community, especially when it comes to cosplaying. Anytime I attend an anime event, it’s bigger than the previous one.
“As an audience, however, we need structure because I believe that if there’s proper structure, the community here stands the chance of attracting anime companies who might eventually invest and grow the community even bigger.”
Some Side Musing Questions I asked during the Interview.
If you could invite any fictional character from any anime to the podcast, who would it be?
Kosy:Two people come to mind right now; the first guest would be Mereolena Vermillion from Black Clover.I want her on the podcast simply because of her fiery energy, and everyone would mostly watch the podcast because of her.
My second fictional character as a guest on the podcast would be Kotaro from Kotaro Lives Alone,and this would be just because he’s such an unusual character.
Deola:For me, it would be Eren Yeager from Attack on Titan,because everybody has an opinion on why he did what he did, and I think it would be good for him to have a platform like the podcast to share his point of view.
The second person would be Akago from InuYasha,he would be a fun guest for the podcast.
If you had to introduce an anime to a doubtful Nigerian parent or older relative, which anime would you choose, and how would you explain it to them?
Kosy:I would recommend a fun anime, which revolves around team spirit, with lots of exaggerations, and I would be like, these are what the kids are watching these days,also probably the most soap opera-ish anime with an adult cast. Deola can help elaborate further.
Deola:For me, I would recommend about two-three shows, so for instance, if I want to introduce an anime to maybe my mom or my aunt, I would go for Apothecary Diaries.It’s a story of a girl who is solving a mystery, and it does have a soap opera-ish vibe.
I would also recommend Orb: On the Movement of the Earth. I feel like an older uncle would like it because it sort of has themes around education and history. However, if I were to recommend something more light-hearted, fun, and also has an interesting plot, I’d say Baccano,and this is for anyone looking for a bit of a challenge.
