All across Mogadishu and beyond, there is one name that brings smiles to people’s faces: Muwado. The eight-year-old girl is the star of short comedy videos that have taken Somalia by storm. Viewed millions of times on online platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, Muwado Abshir’s sketches touch on a wide range of topics, from unemployment and fashion to social media obsession and even relationships – and her jokes spare no one. Because of her age, Muwado’s videos are posted on her brother’s channel. The account now has more than 235,000 followers and 3.2 million likes on TikTok. Muwado’s YouTube channel has garnered close to seven million views in less than a year – and that excludes the figures from people downloading and resharing her videos. Somalia is recovering from a brutal two-decade civil war that has damaged almost every sector including the entertainment industry. With the guns falling silent, many youths have been increasingly taking to social media, mostly TikTok and Facebook, to find entertainment, express themselves and pass their time. But no one could have predicted that an eight-year-old girl would grab the attention of millions in the conservative country.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA