With over 7.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and 3 million followers on Instagram, Niko Omilana has become a one-man army.

Rather than just using her reach to promote a product or land some brand deals, she’s using her power to fight back against systems of power, acting as a reminder of what social media and online platforms can actually do, including reclaiming people’s voices. few and strengthen the thinking of many.

Niko – A modern day David facing Goliath

While so many other content creators love to drive clicks through controversy, often doing things for which they later have to apologize (which rarely goes the right way…), part of Niko’s identity is throwing punches up, not down.

He may act and push boundaries, but it is always done to maintain the balance of power.

He created a series of elaborate pranks and stunts that turned the tables on the likes of KSI (sneaking into one of his highly publicized boxing matches), embarrassing racists, and even the mainstream media.

But as impressive as these things were, he was just warming up.

In 2021, Niko made an unprecedented move – he used his platform to run for public office, and it turned out he performed better than expected.

Running in the London Mayoral Election, Niko finished fifth, ranking as the highest independent candidate.

Of course, fifth place doesn’t get you onto the podium – and those antics cost him a £10,000 (roughly $12,500) deposit. But the price he paid was nothing compared to the steps he took for YouTubers and youth voices.

Some may consider it a stunt, but Niko’s success cannot be ignored – it not only reinforces the importance of content creators, but also proves that the younger generation truly cares about politics when they are given the opportunity to feel included.

In fact, he got the younger generation interested in politics. They engaged with his videos on the issue. The comments poured in, people finally realized that they had someone who truly understood them, represented them and could be their voice.

They are also not only involved in Niko’s campaign online. They go out and vote.

By almost 50,000 votes, he won about three times more than an actual Member of Parliament, you know, someone whose entire job is politics. This makes him the youngest independent candidate to make it onto the London Mayor’s ballot.

The kids are fine – what Niko means for the future of politics

Omilana’s unprecedented coverage proves two things. The first is that content creators have a platform that is more than just entertainment – they can drive real change and engage new generations in very real ways.

Something Niko understood early on, and has since been proven correct by those who followed him.

It’s no surprise that many political thinkers highlighted Donald Trump’s appearance on the Joe Rogan Podcast as a key moment in his campaign. Yesterday’s rulebook is over. If you want people to come out and support you, go to them. You find them where they want to be heard, seen and represented. And in this day and age, those things are podcasts, online communities, and democratic platforms.

When you’re talking about influencers, determining the future winner of a presidential campaign no longer matters.

And the second?

In this generation, revolutions may not be broadcast on television – they may be broadcast live.