In the past few weeks, a new trend has emerged on TikTok known as #corruptiktok or #Corruptok. This movement has taken hold of social media platforms, particularly in Nigeria, where creators are using satire to shine a light on government corruption.
These videos, though hilarious, have been tagged as a form of online protest against bad governance, while also boosting the popularity of the viral songs behind them.
On TikTok, creators are churning out skits that parody corrupt politicians, drawing inspiration from notorious scandals. In one video, a user dances gleefully to ‘Life Style,’ captioning it, “Me and my bro convincing citizens a snake swallowed $130 million,” referencing the 2018 incident where a Nigerian government office blamed a reptile for vanishing funds.
In other videos, young TikTokers recreate popular videos of politicians dancing during election campaigns or events with captions like, “when 800 million for empowerment goes missing,” “Me as a politician when they question me about missing funds, so I activate my corruption defence mechanism: collapse (allegedly).” Most of these videos are also set to the beat of Rich Gang’s ‘Life Style,’
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So far, these videos have gained over millions of views and other creators from all over Africa are recreating videos of their leaders striking a chord with viewers who’ve seen this play out in real life.
These satirical clips aren’t just racking up likes, they are keeping corruption in the spotlight. Take the 2020 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) hearing, where official Daniel Pondei collapsed mid-questioning about missing money.
That viral moment, once a national headline, is now a viral meme on TikTok, replayed in exaggerated skits that refuse to let the public forget. Likewise, the ‘snake swallowing money’ saga, once dismissed as absurd, lives on in #CorruptTok, a symbol of governmental dysfunction mocked relentlessly online.
The song ‘Life Style,’ a 2014 track by Rich Gang released under the Cash Money imprint, is surging in streams. While the actual number of streams for the song before the trend is unknown, the song currently has 313 million Spotify streams, the highest streamed song for the rap group.
The buzz has been electric online, drawing comments from social media users. On X, one user posts, “These #Corruptok videos are the best thing on TikTok right now. They’re funny, but they also make you think about how messed up things are.”
Another user wrote, “It’s wild how a song from 2014 is suddenly everywhere again because of these skits.” The sentiment echoes across platforms, with viewers lauding the blend of humour and hard truth.
Yet not everyone is laughing. Some critics argue that satire, while clever, falls short of sparking real change. “Unhinged except for when it’s time to chase their corrupt politicians out of power. Let’s all keep catching cruise, it’s the next generation I really feel for; I hope we take action before they suffer for our cowardice,” @NessaisBloomimg posted.
This begs the question as to whether this viral skit holds a corrupt official accountable? Or does it risk turning serious issues into punchlines?
