Maleek Sanni is a Nigerian actor and one of the young performers who gained public attention through the creative group Ikorodu Bois. Before entering professional film productions, he became known for recreating scenes from popular movies and music videos with his brothers and cousin. Their homemade recreations attracted attention online and demonstrated his interest in performance long before his acting career expanded.
His transition into Nollywood took a major step in 2023 when he played Young Obalola in Gangs of Lagos. He followed that appearance with the lead role in Aburo in 2024, earning recognition for his ability to carry a dramatic story. His journey from online comedy videos to award-winning screen acting makes him an interesting young talent in Nigerian entertainment.
Early Life and the Ikorodu Bois
Maleek Sanni grew up in Lagos State and became known as a member of Ikorodu Bois, a creative group formed by his family members. The group includes his brothers Muiz and Babatunde Sanni and their cousin Fawas Aina. Their videos recreate famous scenes with everyday household objects, turning ordinary items into imaginative substitutes for professional film equipment.
The group attracted attention for its ability to reproduce movie trailers and entertainment scenes with limited resources. Their work eventually reached international audiences, including well-known figures in the film industry.
For Maleek, the videos offered more than online entertainment. They provided opportunities to imitate characters, practise facial expressions and understand how actors communicate emotion through movement and dialogue. These early performances helped prepare him for the more structured demands of professional filmmaking.
Gangs of Lagos Introduced Him to a Wider Audience
Maleek’s professional acting career reached a major turning point with Gangs of Lagos, the 2023 crime drama directed by Jade Osiberu. He played Young Obalola, the childhood version of the central character portrayed as an adult by Tobi Bakre.
The film follows young people growing up amid violence, loyalty conflicts and the criminal networks surrounding Lagos Island. Maleek’s character is a vulnerable boy whose experiences help explain the adult Obalola’s later choices.
His performance required more than reproducing the mannerisms of an older character. He had to communicate fear, uncertainty and determination through scenes involving difficult family relationships and dangerous circumstances.
One of the film’s strengths was its use of younger performers to establish the characters’ backgrounds. Maleek’s portrayal gave audiences an early view of Obalola’s emotional world and helped lay the foundation for the adult character’s story.
The role brought him greater recognition beyond the audience that already knew him through Ikorodu Bois. It also established that he could move from short comedy videos into a feature film with a demanding dramatic role.
Winning the 2023 AMAA Award
Maleek’s performance in Gangs of Lagos earned him the Best Young/Promising Actor award at the 2023 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The recognition marked an important milestone in his early career.
Awards can help emerging performers attract attention from casting directors, producers and audiences. For a young actor transitioning from internet entertainment into professional cinema, the award provided recognition for his work in a major Nigerian production.
It also distinguished his screen career from his online identity. While Ikorodu Bois had already demonstrated his creative ability, the award recognised his performance within the professional film industry.
Aburo Gave Him a Leading Role
In 2024, Maleek took another significant step when he played the title character in Aburo. The film follows a street-smart boy whose natural speed brings him into contact with a former champion, creating an opportunity for a different future.
Unlike Gangs of Lagos, where Maleek played a younger version of a character shared with an adult actor, Aburo placed him at the centre of the story. The role required him to carry more of the film’s emotional development and maintain audience interest across the narrative.
His performance demonstrated a different side of his abilities. The character combines youthful energy with vulnerability, giving Maleek room to move beyond the dramatic circumstances of his earlier role.
The film was particularly important because it showed that he could lead a production rather than appear only in a supporting or childhood version of a character. For a young performer, that opportunity can provide valuable experience and create a stronger foundation for future roles.
Movies and Television Work
Maleek’s best-known acting credits include Gangs of Lagos and Aburo. These two productions form the clearest foundation of his screen career so far.
In 2026, he joined the cast of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, the screen adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s novel. He plays Akin, a member of Baba Segi’s household. The production brings together an ensemble of established Nigerian performers and gives Maleek another opportunity to work within a large-scale film project.
The role adds a new dimension to his filmography. Instead of repeating the young street character associated with Gangs of Lagos and Aburo, he enters a family drama centred on marriage, jealousy, fertility and hidden relationships.
As his career develops, a wider range of characters will be important. Different roles can help him build versatility and avoid becoming associated with only one type of young character.
Moving from Online Videos to Professional Acting
Maleek’s story illustrates how digital creativity can open doors into mainstream entertainment. Ikorodu Bois became known for their resourcefulness, recreating scenes from productions using simple equipment and household materials. Their popularity gave the group visibility, but professional acting required Maleek to work within a different environment.
Film sets involve scripted scenes, continuity, direction and collaboration with larger crews. Actors must understand a character’s motivations and respond naturally to other performers, often repeating scenes until the director achieves the required result.
Maleek’s experience making online videos gave him a starting point for performance, but his film roles have required him to develop further skills. His work in Gangs of Lagos and Aburo shows how he has begun translating that early experience into feature-film acting.
What Comes Next for Maleek Sanni?
Maleek’s next challenge is to build a career that continues beyond his early success. His award-winning performance and leading role in Aburo have established a foundation, while The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives gives him another opportunity to work in an ensemble production.
As he grows older, more varied roles could help him move into different genres and character types. Comedy, family drama, action and emotionally demanding stories would each offer opportunities to develop his range.
He also has a distinctive background that sets him apart from many young actors. His years with Ikorodu Bois gave him experience in digital storytelling before he entered professional cinema. Maintaining that creativity while developing the discipline of a film actor could become an advantage as his career progresses.
Personal Life
Maleek Sanni keeps much of his private life outside the focus of his acting career. Public profiles identify him as a member of Ikorodu Bois and connect his early development to the creative work he produced with his family.
Because he began his career as a child performer, it is more appropriate to focus on his professional achievements than to speculate about private matters. His acting roles and creative development provide the clearest account of his journey so far.
Conclusion
Maleek Sanni has moved from recreating popular entertainment scenes with Ikorodu Bois to performing in major Nigerian film productions. His portrayal of Young Obalola in Gangs of Lagos introduced him to a wider film audience, while his 2023 AMAA award recognised his performance. His lead role in Aburo further demonstrated his ability to carry a dramatic story.
His appearance in The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives adds another important credit to his developing filmography. Although his career remains at an early stage, Maleek has already shown that his talents extend beyond online comedy. His next roles will help determine how successfully he develops into a versatile Nigerian screen actor.
