Taaooma
{{Short description|Nigerian online comedian}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Taaooma
| image = Taooma in a Plus TV Interview (cropped).png
| birth_place =
| birth_date =
| birth_name = Maryam Apaokagi
| nationality = Nigerian
| alma_mater = Kwara State University
| occupation = Comedian
| spouse = {{Marriage|Abula|24 January 2021}}
}}
Maryam Apaokagi, known professionally as Taaooma, is a Nigerian comedian, content creator, cinematographer,{{Cite web|title=How video editing made me Taaooma, the comedienne – Maryam Apaokagi|url=https://dailytrust.com/how-video-editing-made-me-taaooma-the-comedianne-maryam-apaokagi|access-date=2021-07-11|website=Daily Trust|language=en}} and social media influencer. She is the CEO, and founder of Chop Tao,{{cite web |title=Maryam Apaokagi (@taaooma) |url=https://cultureintelligence.ynaija.com/people/maryam-akpaogi-taaooma/ |website=Culture Intelligence from RED |access-date=5 July 2022}} a food company, and directs for The Greenade Company, a cinematography firm. She is known for playing multiple roles in her skits.{{cite web |title=How two Nigerian women are breaking into comedy's boys club |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2020/0810/How-two-Nigerian-women-are-breaking-into-comedy-s-boys-club |website=Christian Science Monitor |accessdate=8 October 2020 |date=10 August 2020}}{{Cite web|date=2020-02-18|title=Who is Taaooma? Unmasking Instagram's unlikely most popular comedian [Pulse Interview]|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/celebrities/who-is-taaooma-unmasking-instagrams-unlikely-most-popular-comedian/lwd7s7r|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Pulse Nigeria|language=en-US}}
Early life
Maryam Apaokagi spent most of her early years in Namibia. She studied Tourism and Travel Service Management at the Kwara State University.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-16|title=Comedian Taaooma hits 1m on Instagram, watch how she marks it|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/05/16/comedian-taaooma-hits-1m-on-instagram-watch-how-she-marks-it/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=P.M. News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Taaooma talks about growing up in Namibia, relationship, popularity and how she switches her roles|url=https://tv.guardian.ng/entertainment/guardian-life/taaooma-talks-about-growing-up-in-namibia-relationship-popularity-and-how-she-switches-her-roles/|access-date=2021-03-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-04-03|title="My momsy no dey beat me" - Taaooma|url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-52148685|access-date=2021-03-01|website=BBC News Pidgin}} In 2022, she tells The Punch, “I wanted to be a doctor. Later, I changed it to a lawyer. I got to university and was offered Tourism.”{{cite web |last1=Edeme |first1=Victoria |title=My mum inspires some of my skits, says Taaooma |url=https://punchng.com/my-mum-inspires-some-of-my-skits-says-taaooma/ |website=Punch Newspapers |access-date=5 July 2022 |date=12 May 2022}}
In 2015, she started online comedy after convincing her fiancé to teach her the basics of video editing. She rose to stardom in 2019 with a skit based on African parents taking their children to school.{{cite web |author=Aisha Salaudeen |title=This comic sensation is wowing Instagram users with her skits on Nigerian families |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/10/africa/nigeria-instagram-comic-intl/index.html |website=CNN |accessdate=8 October 2020}}{{Cite web|date=2020-03-02|title=TAAOOMA, THE COMEDIC SOCIAL MEDIA PHENOMENON {{!}} CITY105.1FM|url=https://www.city1051fm.com/2020/03/02/taaooma-the-comedic-social-media-phenomenon/|access-date=2021-03-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=I'm not in competition with anyone –Taaooma|url=https://punchng.com/im-not-in-competition-with-anyone-taaooma/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Punch Newspapers|language=en-US}} In 2019, she was the face of Media Room Hub’s July Issue. Her comedy skits are centered on exposing African mothers and their unique manner of disciplining African children with a slap.{{cite web |title=INTERVIEW: Why I slap my daughter in skits – Popular instagram comedienne, Taaoma |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/nollywood/392067-interview-why-i-slap-my-daughter-in-skits-popular-instagram-comedienne-taaoma.html |website=Premium Times Nigeria |accessdate=8 October 2020 |date=9 May 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Taaooma: Nigeria’s Freestyle ‘Slapping’ Comedian |url=https://issuu.com/businesselites/docs/40_under_40_2021/s/13730587 |access-date=2022-11-21 |website=issuu |language=en}}
Personal life
In February 2020, Apaokagi engaged her fiancé Abdulaziz Oladimeji (aka. Abula) in Namibia,{{Cite web|date=2020-10-30|title=Video: Taaooma, Abula share their engagement story|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/10/30/video-taaooma-abula-share-their-engagement-story/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=P.M. News|language=en-US}} and got married on 24 January 2021.{{cite web |title=PHOTOS: Taaooma marks first wedding anniversary |url=https://lifestyle.thecable.ng/photos-taaooma-marks-first-wedding-anniversary/ |website=TheCable Lifestyle |access-date=27 March 2022 |date=24 January 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Ukonu |first=Ivory |last2=THEWILL |date=2022-02-06 |title=2021 Was A Great Year For Me – Maryam Apaokagi-Greene |url=https://thewillnigeria.com/news/2021-was-a-great-year-for-me-maryam-apaokagi-greene/ |access-date=2022-11-21 |language=en-US}} The couple welcomed a baby girl in 2024, as Taaooma shared video with the baby on December 5.{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Fellow |date=2024-12-05 |title=Video: Comedian Taaooma Welcomes Baby Girl |url=https://www.fellowpress.com/video-comedian-taaooma-welcomes-baby-girl/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=Fellow Press |language=en-US}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Award !Category !Result !Ref. |
| 2019
| The Gage Awards | Best Online Comedian Of The Year |{{won}} |
| rowspan=5| 2020
|Nigeria's 25 under 25 awards |Social Entrepreneur |{{won}} |
| The Future Awards Africa
|Content Creation (YouTubers, Vloggers) |{{nom}} |
| Maya Awards
|Skit Maker Of The Year |{{nom}} |
| City People Music Awards
|Comedy Act of the Year |{{nom}} | |
| The Guardian
|100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria |{{Shortlisted}} |
| rowspan=2|2021
|Net Honours |Most Popular Comedian |{{nom}} |
| JCI TOYP Award
|Cultural Achievement |{{won}} |
| rowspan=3|2022
|Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards |Best Online Social Content Creator |{{nom}} |
| The Future Awards Africa
|Content Creation (YouTubers, Vloggers) |{{nom}} |
| Net Honours
|Most Popular Comedian |{{nom}} |
| rowspan="1" |2023
|Prize for Content Creation |{{pending}} |