How Omoni Oboli’s ‘Love in Every Word’ broke the internet

Anthony Udugba

Omoni Oboli’s ‘Love in Every Word’ has surged past 15 million views on YouTube in just over a week since its release on March 7, 2025, redefining Nollywood’s YouTube success and changing the trajectory of distribution for local filmmakers.

The romantic drama’s rise has showcased the transformative power of online marketing and digital distribution, which have propelled the movie to the number one spot on YouTube’s trending list as the platform’s fastest-growing Nollywood film.

Despite a brief copyright hiccup that saw the film temporarily pulled from YouTube, its return and subsequent success have made it a cultural phenomenon, sparking viral memes and setting ambitious new goals for the filmmaker.

Released on Omoni Oboli TV, the film -produced and directed by Oboli and written by Mfon-Abasi Micheal Inyang – tells the heartfelt story of two people, Chioma and Odogwu, played by Bamike ‘Bam Bam’ Olawunmi-Adenibuyan and Uzor Arukwe, navigating love, cultural differences, and personal growth.

Its rapid ascent began with 4.3 million views in the first 72 hours, which grew to 7 million in three days, before a copyright claim by Chinonso Obiora (Skyberry) led to its removal on March 11, 2025.

The takedown ignited outrage among fans, with social media buzzing over the perceived injustice. However, Oboli and her team resolved the dispute within hours, restoring the film by March 12, 2025.

Oboli’s marketing strategy

The film’s success owes much to Oboli’s savvy online marketing strategy. Short clips posted on Instagram and TikTok showcase standout scenes—like Arukwe’s character affectionately calling Bam Bam’s character ‘Achanugo,’ declaring that he will marry her.

The short clips have racked up thousands of views and reposts, each sparking social media conversations on expectations from the dynamic of relationships with a rich Igbo man.

The ‘Achanugo meme’ has taken X by the storm, with fans repurposing the term in humorous and romantic contexts, further embedding the film in popular culture. This grassroots momentum, fuelled by social media engagement, has turned ‘Love in Every Word’ into a viral sensation, drawing both fans and critics to stream the one-hour-55-minute film.

Oboli’s ambitions for the film

Oboli’s ambitions extend beyond this milestone. She has set her sights on 30 million views for ‘Love in Every Word,’ a target that seems within reach given its current trajectory. Additionally, she aims to join the ranks of YouTube’s elite Nollywood filmmakers, like Ruth Kadiri, whose channel boasts over 2.8 million subscribers.

Omoni Oboli TV, launched in 2023, has close to one million subscribers, sitting at just over 990,000 as of March 20, 2025. With just 550 videos, the channel has amassed 182 million views, a testament to Oboli’s ability to captivate audiences with premium content.

With YouTube paying creators— who are connected to the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP) between $1,000 and $5,000 per 1 million views – Omoni Oboli could have earned between $182,000 and $910,000 from the 182 million views amassed on her channel since its creation in 2023.

In terms of geographic ad rates, a significant portion of her audience is likely in Nigerian and other African countries, where ad rates are typically lower than in western markets. This could push her earnings closer to the $1,000-$2,000 per million range, rather than the full $5,000 ceiling.

YouTube, profitable platform for Nollywood filmmakers

The success of content creators on the platform has pushed filmmakers more to the idea of posting short or feature films on the platform, bypassing the traditional cinema distribution and gatekeepers. Over the past months, Nigerians have witnessed veterans such as Kunle Afolayan, creating YouTube channels and posting classic films on the platform, urging people to subscribe and stream his movies.

Marie Lora-Mungai, a media entrepreneur and television producer, highlighted that the lack of wider distribution channels for films is a critical issue facing the African creative sector, which directly translates to a lack of monetisation.

This problem is particularly evident in the film industry, especially with streaming giants like Amazon Prime and Netflix scaling back their African market presence, leaving a void for premium African films to find audiences and revenue streams abroad.

Lora-Mungai also pointed to the dominance of YouTube, while acknowledging that it as a sign of market failure for the premium content, suggesting exploring other global free platforms like Roku, Pluto TV, and Tubi.

She advocated for better utilisation of broadcasters, incentivising them to invest in local content, and addressing the challenges posed by numerous local payment solutions hindering the growth of global streaming platforms in Africa.

BusinessDay NG