Early Life

Olaniyi Mikail Afonja, known professionally as Sanyeri, was born on 14 October 1974 in the Bola area of Oyo town, Oyo State, Nigeria, the first child of his parents. He attended St Michael Primary School in Oke-Ibo, Oyo State, before proceeding to Durbar Grammar School in Oyo Town, where he completed his secondary education.

Career

Sanyeri began his acting career in 1992 after joining the Prince Seyi Adeoye theatre group, where he met Adekola Tijani, who performs under the stage name Kamilu Kompo and became his frequent on-screen “twin” across many Yoruba films. In 1996, the pair relocated together to Lagos to pursue their careers further, advancing from stage floor shows into home video productions.

Known also by the aliases Ambali, Dadubule and Opa Okan, Sanyeri has built a filmography of close to 100 movies, including ‘Obakeye,’ ‘Awero,’ ‘Edun Ara,’ ‘Asiwaju’ and the widely memed ‘Abuke Oshin’ (2019), in which his portrayal of the ruthless “Hiccup King” became a viral internet sensation. He has consistently been ranked among the top three funniest actors in the Nigerian film industry, and won Best Movie Producer of the Year and Comic Actor of the Year at the 2015 City People Entertainment Awards. In 2024, he was nominated as one of Nigeria’s most popular actors by the Most Popular Celebrity Award (MPCA).

Personal Life

Sanyeri is married to Hawawu Omolara Afonja, with whom he has two children.

With more than three decades of comedic performances and nearly 100 films to his name, Sanyeri remains one of Yoruba Nollywood’s most consistently beloved comic actors.