With over 7.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and 3 million followers on Instagram, Niko Omilana has become something of a one-man army.
Rather than just using his reach to promote products or land a few brand deals, he’s using his powers to push back on systems of power, acting as a reminder of what social media and online platforms can really do, including taking back the voices of the few and amplifying the thoughts of the many.
Niko - a modern-day David taking on Goliaths
While so many other content creators like to drive clicks through controversy, often doing things they then have to apologize for (which seldom goes right…), part of Niko’s identity involves punching up, never down.
He might act out and he might push the boundaries, but it’s always to address the balance of power.
He creates a series of elaborate pranks and stunts that flip the script on the likes of KSI (sneaking into one of his highly publicized boxing matches), humiliating racists, and even the mainstream media.
But as impressive as these things were, he was just warming up.
Forget comment boxes, Niko took on the ballot box
In 2021, Niko pulled off an unprecedented move - he used his platform to run for public office, and he actually performed better than expected.
Running in the London Mayoral Election, Niko placed fifth, ranking as the highest independent candidate.
Sure, fifth doesn’t get you a podium finish - and the antics cost him a £10,000 deposit (roughly $12,500). But the price paid paled compared to the steps he took for YouTubers and the youth vote.
Some might dismiss it as a stunt but Niko’s success can’t be ignored - it didn’t just amplify the importance of content creators, it proved that younger people really do care about politics when they’re given a chance to feel included.
The fact is he got younger people interested in politics. They engaged with his videos on the matter. Comments came flooding in, people finally realizing that they had someone who actually understood them, represented them and could be a voice for them.
They didn’t just engage with Niko’s campaign online, either. They got out and voted.
With almost 50,000 votes, he won roughly three times more than an actual Member of Parliament, you know, someone whose entire job is politics. This made him the youngest independent candidate to successfully make it to the ballot for Mayor of London.
The kids are alright - what Niko means for the future of politics
Omilana’s unprecedented coverage proved two things. The first is that content creators have a platform that extends well beyond just entertainment - they can incite real change and engage a new generation of people in a very real way.
Something which Niko understood early on, and has since been proven right by the people who have followed suit.
It’s no surprise that many political minds highlighted Donald Trump’s appearances on the likes of the Joe Rogan Podcast as a pivotal moment of his campaign. The rulebook of yesteryear is over. If you want people to come out and support you, you go to them. You find them where they look to be heard, to be seen, to be represented. And in this day and age, that’s podcasts, online communities and democratic platforms.
When you talk about influencers, shaping the future of winning presidential campaigns doesn’t get any more influential.
And the second?
In this generation, the revolution might not be televised - it’s more likely to be livestreamed.
