Background
My name is Aduke Gold but I’m popularly known as Diva Gold. I was stubborn as a child. I always did whatever I wanted to do. I was also very brilliant, smart and outstanding. I actually had a great childhood. I was raised by the most amazing parents one could ever wish for. I really gave my mother a lot of trouble. I ran away from home about two or three times before clocking 18 years old. Right from when I was young, I had always wanted to be independent. I had the ‘western’ mentality that once one is 18, one can leave one’s parents’ home.
Imagine me travelling from Akure (Ondo State) all the way to Lagos to meet someone I had never met before.
However in all of these, my mother never gave up on me. My dad is a great man too.
Education
I attended Cabataf Nursery and Primary School, Ijapo Estate, Akure, Ondo State. I then proceeded to Saint Louis Girls Grammar School, also in Akure.
I went on to Bowen University, and I graduated in 2017.
Inspiration
I get inspiration from other content creators, and movies. I am also inspired by my surroundings and the realities of life. I want my skits to teach people lessons. I always watch my previous skits, and from the comments, I know what the audience wants.
Social media
I did not know the potential that social media had, so I initially took it with a bit of levity. If I had known how much of an advantage it offered, I would have taken it a bit more serious, and probably would have gone farther than this. However, I also believe the will of God will always prevail.
Acting
Online comedy started as a joke (for me). I knew I was interested in entertainment but I never thought about online comedy or skit making. I usually went for auditions back when I was in school, but most times, when those people called for auditions, they already knew who they wanted to give roles to. It was practically a waste of time and money going from the mainland to the island for auditions without any positive results.
Online comedy
A friend of mine invited me for a role in the TV series, Jenifa’s Diary. That was when I started taking it seriously.
However, also I met with some people who wanted one thing or the other from me before giving me roles. So, I relented a bit again and took a break. Then, I started watching skits on Instagram. The good thing about content creation is that one does not necessarily need auditions to get roles. The important thing is one’s physique and talent. I have both, and that was how social media comedy started for me.
Challenges
There is no one that does not face challenges. However, I did not really face any serious, aside from having little or no engagement on my content in the early days. I did not have money to pay blogs because most of my colleagues were always getting blogs to post their videos. Before some blogs posted those videos, they had to be paid. I did not have the funds for that and I also procrastinated a lot. Though I was getting some love from fans, people knew me more as someone who featured in other people’s skits.
However, when I made my first skit, it was good. I wrote the story myself and it came out very well. But, I wasted time in following it up with another one, so my ‘engagement’ dropped. If I knew what I know now, I would have been shooting back to back. Perhaps, I would not have lost the engagement with fans.
Bullying
I am too big to be bullied. If anyone trolls me, I would reply such an individual. I have been a victim of online bullying but I always emerge as the conqueror.
Fans
As a sexy lady, I get a lot of attention from male fans, and I enjoy it. Imagine going to restaurants and fans pay for my food. Sometimes, people randomly ask for my account number. I end up becoming friends with my fans with no strings attached. I have some fans that just want to see me grow, though some of them don’t know how to draw the line, and that is to be expected.
Breakthrough
The first video I made actually shot me to prominence. Don Jazzy reposted it and some blogs did the same. I did not have to pay for that. God has blessed me with acting and content creation skills.
Benefits
One of the perks of being a social media comedian is the recognition I get. People now recognise my craft and talent. A lot of people appreciate me on a daily basis. I constantly get several messages on social media. I did not expect to get this kind of support. I honestly did not see it coming. I have been able to wine and dine with many senior colleagues in the industry. I know I will still attain more greatness. Indeed, God has been good to me.
Ayomidate
I am not married to Ayomidate (a social media comedian). I am still single. What happened then with Ayomidate was that we shot a lot of marriage skits. We did a PR stunt before the skit was released. We also observed that a lot of fans wanted us to be married. As I speak right now, we have many online in-laws— people who would do anything to see us get married. As a matter of fact, if they see me post another guy’s picture, they would tag him (Ayomidate). If they also see him post the picture of another girl, they would tag me. They just want to see us together. The good thing about the stunt is that he is actually a good guy and I am not ashamed to be associated with him. Right now, he is just my partner and ‘best guy’. But, we are not in a romantic relationship.
Uniqueness
To start with, my name is different. I am also good at what I do. I have not seen a lot of ‘natural’ actors making skits. I get that commendation a lot. I think I can hold my head high. My ability to act in an actual movie and also in skits makes me different. I started my career as an actor, so I know some basic things about acting.
Popularity
To an extent, I get recognised almost everywhere I go, especially by my TikTok fans. The love is always amazing out there. Even when I wear a nose mask, people still recognise me .I pray for more recognition from God in a more fruitful way without scandals.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
