Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon, popularly known as Wode Maya and professionally known as Mr Ghana Baby, is a famous Ghanaian vlogger, YouTuber, digital media influencer, and aeronautical engineer. He was born on born November 8, 1990.
‘Wode Maya’ means ‘My Mother’ in Chinese. In the year 2017, he recorded himself in a bus with empty seats next to him while other passengers stood due to the color of his skin and the video quickly went viral. He is recognized as one of Africa’s Top and Most Influential YouTubers.
Early life and Education
Wode Maya hails from Ahekofi in Kofikrom the Western region of Ghana. Maya departed Ghana in 2012 to continue his study in China after completing his senior high school there.
His first plan after receiving a scholarship was to attend school in the UK. Due to his humiliation at not being granted a UK visa, he fled to China and was accepted into Shenyang Aerospace University, where he studied aerospace engineering.
Career
On January 10, 2013, Wode Maya became a member of YouTube. In China, he began blogging about his experiences while still a student. He later quit his job as an aeronautical engineer.
Wode Maya became well-known for his amusing and informative videos about Chinese culture and language, which he delivered in a combination of English and Chinese.
He announced that his new real estate business, to be called “CHARLIEMAG Estate,” will be based in East Legon and that it will launch in December 2021.
He was one of six prominent YouTubers from all across the world who were selected to cover the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in 2023. The Munich Security Conference in 2023 was also invited to have him as a reporter.
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Wode Maya’s YouTube channel, “Wode Maya,” has over 1 million subscribers and over 2.5 million views on his videos.
He is well-known for his travel vlogs, in which he visits destinations all over the world, as well as his social commentary on African issues and efforts to create positive narratives about the continent.
Maya has received various honors and awards for his accomplishments, including being named one of Africa’s top 100 young leaders by the Africa Youth Awards in 2018.
Maya is a passionate advocate for African education and development, and he frequently utilizes his platform to highlight difficulties confronting the continent as well as good stories of African innovation and growth.
Personal Life
Wode Maya and his long-term Kenyan girlfriend Gertrude Awino Juma, also known as Miss Trudy, married on September 10, 2022, in a simple ceremony at Trudy’s rural home in Western Kenya.
The couple, who have been together for almost four years, are both YouTubers.
References:
- Wode Maya’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/wodeMaya
- Wode Maya’s Website: https://wodemaya.me/
- BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50515705
- CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/ghana-travel-youtube-wode-maya/index.html
- Wikipedia: Wikipedia/wodemaya
- Uzomedia: The Biography of Wode Maya
