How comedian Layi Wasabi became Africa’s favourite ‘struggling lawyer’

Why are you in Nairobi right now?

This is my idea of a vacation. I worked almost the entire year—I didn’t even leave Nigeria last year—so I needed a break. I just wanted to experience Kenya. I’ve seen a lot of West Africa, so I wanted to explore another side of the continent. I’ve been interested in Kenya for a while.
My manager is around, so we’ll be doing some media touring, meeting people in the press and all that. He was like, “You’ve spent all this money travelling, let’s get the best out of it.” But honestly, I’m content just experiencing Nairobi.
I’m definitely going to do something with Mammito Eunice. I’ve been following her for quite a while, and she’s hilarious—I’m a big fan. I’m also a fan of Crazy Kennar. He’s not in the country right now, but we’re trying to see if he’ll be back before I leave so we can link up.

Do you remember your first impression of Kenya?

The film First Grader, actually. I saw it back in 2009. That was my first introduction to Kenya and its people. It was about the oldest student, that was beautiful resilience.

What do you have on your itinerary?

The popular things—I want to go on a safari and meet the Maasai—but I’ll also try some niche experiences.

What’s your idea of Pan-Africanism?

I think that’s Africa in its strongest form. We’re essentially the same people—different in some ways, but with shared cultural beliefs. That’s also how a lot of Europeans and Americans see us. In entertainment, especially, that’s when we can export our culture best: as one people, with one voice.

What makes Nigerian content so appealing globally?

Nigeria is very diverse. We have four major tribes—Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani—but nearly 200 ethnic groups overall, so there’s a mix of everything. We also have the population. The tastes may differ, but we live together and share core beliefs.

You studied law. How did you end up creating this kind of comedy?

I think I stumbled into this style of content. I started as a law student with hopes of becoming a lawyer, but I’ve always had an interest in comedy. At some point, I wanted to be the youngest comedian in Nigeria. But that’s not a dream Nigerian parents usually encourage.
My family advised me to study law because it seemed more stable. I wasn’t bad academically, so it made sense. But I believe destiny finds a man wherever he is. I loved theatre growing up. In secondary school, I had a drama group that performed every weekend. Even while studying law, I joined a drama group in my faculty. Around 2015, content creation started gaining traction, so I thought, 'I have funny stories. I can try this.' I started, then stopped.
I picked it up again in 2020 after graduating, and it began to gain traction. The lawyer character came in 2022 while I was serving at the Ministry of Justice in Ibadan.

What did your colleagues think?

I chose the Ministry because I thought it would give me time to pursue other things. But I was assigned to someone who really wanted me to focus on the work. I told her my intentions, and she said, 'You cannot work with me. I need people that can die for the work.'
So I was reassigned to someone younger and more understanding. Even then, I started missing work at some point because I wanted to focus on content. I was creating almost every other day—writing scripts, shooting—because I felt this was where my strength was. I’m grateful he didn’t report me, because I could have gotten into serious trouble. Two months in, my videos started going viral. One day, he called to say he had seen my work and was happy it was working out for me.

Why the ‘struggling lawyer’ character?

That’s what I saw around me. The Ministry of Justice in Ibadan wasn’t the grandest version of what a lawyer is. I met lawyers at court just waiting for the next case, and I felt that was a story people don’t usually see. In Lagos, you see the big-shot lawyers, but this was a different reality.

Do you remember your first celebrity co-sign?

Yes—Falz. I had about 4,000 followers when a friend called me and said, “Falz is following you!” I didn’t believe it. I’ve always been a big fan. He’s also a lawyer in entertainment, so it felt like validation. I messaged him, and he said, “I love your content, keep doing it.”

When did you decide to fully commit?

After my year of youth service had concluded. It was a no-brainer.

Were you already making money?

Not really. I had some popularity, but I was still underground. I didn’t have much time either—I was still working occasionally, handling some cases from home and helping out at home.
But in 2023, I moved back to Osogbo and told myself, “This year, it’s do or die.”

How did your family react?

My dad passed when I was young, so I only had to convince my mum. She had already seen some traction. I bought my first car in early 2023, a small Toyota Camry, which made her realise there might be potential.
I was also in the mindset that, “Even if you don’t agree, I’m still going to do this—but it would be nice to have your support.”

Do you remember your first big pay cheque?

The most exciting one was in 2022. My first pay cheque was ₦40,000 (Sh3,675), which felt like a lot at the time. Then two weeks later, a bank paid me ₦300,000 (Sh23,600), and that changed everything. It made me realise I could earn more. Maybe even millions!

And your first million?

In 2023, MTN reached out through MoMo PSB for an ambassador deal. The figure was… interesting. (Laughs) It was in millions of Naira.

Is income from content creation consistent?

Not always. One-off gigs are easier to get, but long-term deals require trust. Brands need to believe you will represent them well over time. That’s where the biggest money is.

What helped you build that trust?

Intentionality from the beginning. I knew the kind of content I wanted to create, funny but clean. Something people feel safe watching. I don’t do vulgar or controversial content.

You’ve started doing longer-form content. Why?

I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker. Longer content feels more fulfilling; it makes me feel closer to that goal. I want my audience to see that potential in me.

How can content creators unite the continent?

What I’m doing now is a first step: travelling, collaborating, experiencing different cultures. When I work with Kenyan creators, I reach their audience, and they reach mine. If more creators did that, we’d experience each other more as a continent.

Is it true Nigerians mostly consume Nigerian music?

Not at all. Growing up, we had a station that played East African music daily for an hour. I’m a big fan of Sauti Sol. I also listen to Harmonize and Diamond Platnumz. Amapiano from South Africa is huge. We even play it more than Nigerian music in some clubs.

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