Content creator Samuel Adegbeyi, popularly known as Baami, has recounted how taking an online loan to support his former girlfriend plunged him into a severe financial and emotional crisis.
Baami, who spoke about his life, career and relationships, said the experience left him trapped in mounting debt for almost a year and forced him to postpone his education.
According to him, he borrowed about N30,000 from an online loan platform and added money from his personal savings to help his girlfriend start a business.
However, he said her attitude changed after receiving the money, leaving him to deal with the loan repayment on his own.
“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,” he said.
Baami explained that he resorted to borrowing from other loan applications in an attempt to settle the initial debt, a decision that eventually trapped him in a cycle of borrowing.
He said the situation affected both his finances and mental wellbeing, revealing that there was a period when he could barely function.
“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,” he said.
The content creator said the financial crisis also prevented him from returning to school for his HND at the time he had planned.
He, however, believes the setback eventually redirected his life towards content creation.
Baami said his journey into content creation began in 2024, while he was in HND II.
According to him, he initially had no interest in becoming a social media personality because he did not want to expose his private life or become a public figure.
He said his manager repeatedly encouraged him to start creating content until he eventually agreed.
“Everything I have achieved today started because of that encouragement,” he said.
Baami disclosed that he initially wanted to become a chartered accountant and did not take content creation seriously when he started.
However, as his audience grew and opportunities began coming his way, he realised that content creation could provide a sustainable career.
His breakthrough came through TikTok, where he began hosting live sessions and receiving virtual gifts and financial support from followers.
He said his first major income from TikTok was about N500,000.
He later expanded his activities to Facebook and received his first payment from the platform in January 2026, amounting to about $200.
Baami said his growing popularity has also enabled him to work with established Nigerian content creators and entertainers, including Oluwadolarz, Nasboi, Shank and Cute Abiola.
He described the personalities he had worked with as supportive, saying they corrected and guided him whenever necessary without making him feel uncomfortable.
He recalled that Cute Abiola, in particular, helped him improve his performance when they first met.
“I have never experienced that with them. The celebrities I have worked with have always shown me love,” he said.
Baami said his content has evolved over time.
He initially created videos involving women because some people assumed his physical condition would prevent him from interacting or socialising with them.
He later ventured into reaction videos before expanding into skits and character-based content.
Today, he portrays different personalities, including a boss, businessman and mechanic, depending on the story he is creating.
The creator also spoke about the challenges he faced growing up, including discrimination because of his physical appearance.
He said some classmates initially avoided associating with him, but their attitude changed after they got to know him and discovered his abilities.
He also admitted that hurtful comments about his appearance sometimes pushed him into periods of deep sadness.
Baami lost his father in 2009 after he became seriously ill while Baami was still in secondary school.
Following his father’s death, he moved between relatives and neighbours as he continued his education.
He said those difficult experiences shaped his outlook on life and ultimately contributed to the person he has become.
According to him, his mother is still alive but currently battling ill health.
Baami is the first of four children, comprising two boys and two girls.
He also addressed questions about the cause of his physical condition, saying his family had given him different explanations while growing up.
He said his mother believed it could have been connected to childhood immunisation or inherited from his father, while his grandmother had a different account of what happened to his father.
Baami said there was never a single explanation that the family could conclusively establish.
Despite the difficulties he has faced, he said he has no regrets about his journey.
He currently has about 1.3 million followers on Facebook, while his former TikTok account had about 1.4 million followers before it was banned.
He said the TikTok account currently being used is a backup account.
Baami also disclosed that he has fans in Nigeria and other countries, adding that he hopes to build a global audience.
He said he has no immediate plans to use his educational qualification to seek conventional employment because content creation is currently meeting his financial needs.
“I have told my manager that I don’t want to use my certificate to look for a job,” he said.
He added that although he has grown his YouTube channel, he is yet to start earning from it.
On relationships, Baami said he remains open to marriage despite his painful past experience.
He said his biggest concern is finding someone who genuinely loves him rather than someone attracted to his money or fame.
“I believe that, by God’s grace, I will find someone who genuinely loves me and supports me,” he said.
Looking ahead, Baami said he hopes to transform his content creation career into a global brand within the next three to five years.
“I believe content creation will take me to many places. It will become a global journey for me,” he said.
He added that his international following, particularly in countries such as India, gives him confidence that his content can reach a much wider audience.
“I see myself becoming a global creator,” he said.If you want, I can also make it more punchy and newspaper-like, with a stronger opening and shorter paragraphs suitable for a Nigerian online news platform.
News18 hours ago