When we are talking about Yoruba Nollywood comedian there is how we are not going to mention Olaniyi Mikail Afonja, popularly known as Sanyeri, is a Nigerian comedian, actor and producer. So this Article contains Olaniyi Afonja Sanyeri Biography and things you need to know about him.Olaniyi Afonja Sanyeri Biography
orn14 October 1974 (age 47)NationalityNigerianOther namesSanyeriCitizenshipNigerianOccupationActor, ComedianSpouse(s)Hawawu Omolara Afonja (m. 2013)Children2State Of OriginOyo State Nigeria
Early Life & Education
Olaniyi Afonja Sanyeri was born on October 14, 1979 in Oyo state which is also his state of origin.
Contrary to some speculations that this funny movie star is not educated, which might be insinuations from most of his movie roles as an illiterate, Sanyeri is a secondary school certificate holder.
Sanyeri attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Oke-Ibo, Oyo state. He proceeded to Durbar Grammar School, Oyo Town, Oyo state. Sanyeri dropped his pen at this stage to pursue his acting career.
After being a popular actor, Sanyeri disclosed his aspiration to further his studies. He sees Education as an added advantage which will boost his career as his brand will grow bigger and wider. He said he has a private tutor who teaches him how to speak English language.
Talking about his level of education being an hindrance in his career, he said it restricts him to some extent as he cannot take up major English-speaking roles. Though he has featured in several movies where he used either the mixture of Yoruba and English, or Pidgin.
Sanyeri said he would like to attend University of Ibadan because it is domicile in his state of origin and his course of study is still undecided though he might study Theatre Arts.
Rise To Stardom
Olaniyi Afonja Sanyeri started his acting career after his secondary education. In 1992, he started featuring in stage plays in his village.
Sanyeri trained under Late Oluseyi Adeoye. Sanyeri travelled to different villages and towns with his drama group to perform stage plays.
Having observed that his acting pursuit did not yield him any income, Sanyeri decided to learn shoe making in order to fend for himself. He later relocated to Lagos in 1996 for greener pastures with his Nollywood friend, Adekola Tijani popularly known as ‘Kamilu Kompo’.
At the onset of his acting career in Lagos, Sanyeri was still unable to earn from it. He ventured into mobile shoemaking for a while with his acting.
Sanyeri was a mobile cobbler within the Idumota axis of Lagos state. He would hit his wooden shoemaking box with materials advertising his services around the area just to survive.
It was later that Sanyeri met his breakthrough in acting which is attributed to his exceptional talent, passion for his profession and comic roles in movies.
Career
Sanyeri has acted in almost 100 Nollywood movies since he started his acting career in 1992. He has also produced several movies which include ‘Okan Eni’, ‘Opa Kan’, ‘Asiwaju’, ‘Okala l’America’, ‘Saworo’, ‘Adaba’, ‘Atiba’, etc.
Olaniyi Afonja usually acts comic roles in Yoruba movies. He is often seen acting alongside Nollywood actors like Odunlade Adekola, Kamilu Kompo, Ijebu, Okunnu, etc.
Sanyeri’s contemporaries in Yoruba Nollywood include Kamilu Kompo, Adebayo Tijani, Ibrahim Chatta, Eniola Afeez, to mention a few.
Sanyeri hit his first jackpot in brand ambassadorship in 2009 as he was contracted for a commercial advert for Globacom
His Tribal Marks And Stature
Talking about the tribal marks of Sanyeri, according to him, he has encountered several mockeries of his tribal marks both in movies and real life.
During his shoe-making job, he has to cover his face with handkerchief to hide his tribal marks from Igbo boys in Idumota who believed then that it was only Ghanaian cobblers who can repair shoes perfectly.
Also, Sanyeri was ridiculed by one of his actor friends at movie shooting who advised him to join the editor’s crew so as to edit his face and stature as people won’t like to watch him in movies.
“I started appreciating my tribal marks when I became an actor. I know that due to my tribal marks, I may not be able to take up some roles, especially lover boy and romantic roles, much less compete with other good-looking actors in the industry. But you know God works in mysterious ways. My tribal marks have brought many comic roles my way and that has automatically given me an edge as an actor. And that is why you won’t see me acting romantic roles. Even though as a child, people used to make a jest of me and I used to feel bad especially as I’m the only one with tribal marks among my siblings, I was never angry with my parents for giving me these tribal marks. Right now, no one can mock me again because I’m now more comfortable with them and I have made a fortune with them.”
This comment disturbed Sanyeri a bit but he overcame it because of his passion for acting.
Marital Life
Olaniyi Afonja Sanyeri is married to Hawawu Omolara Afonja.
Sanyeri met his wife, Hawawu in 2004 at National Theatre as she went to watch Sanyeri’s first produced movie, ‘Okan Eni’. After persistent disturbance, they began their love life and eventually got married in 2007.
Sanyeri’s wife married him when he was not yet prominent in the movie industry.
The marriage is blessed with two children i.e. 2 boys. They are identified as Olasunkanmi and Boluwatife Afonja.
Sanyeri Wife
Movies
These are some of the movies produced and featured by Olaniyi Afonja though the list is incomplete
Obakeye
Awero
Edun Ara
Jenifa
Opa Kan
Omo Carwash
Sekere
Mawe Ku
Sanyeri in London
Ibale
Apaadi
Olu Omo
Koboko
Salako Alagbe
Omo Iya Meji
Mama Do Good
Osole
Sanyeri Oloka
Area Boys
Ise Awako
Waheed Kolero
Afoju Meta
Were Merin
Kosi Tabi sugbon
Saworo
Abuke Oshin
Net Worth
Olaniyi Afonja is one of the richest actor in Yoruba Nollywoo, his net worth is not accurate but estimated to be $300,000
Sanyeri Contact Details
Sanyeri is know to be Partly active on social media but unfortunately Instagram Disabled Sanyeris’s Instagram Handle
