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Nollywood actor Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw, has appeared on a global list of children who became internet legends through viral moments.
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His inclusion stands out because Iheme was already an adult when he became famous for playing the young Pawpaw character in “Aki na Ukwa.”
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The 2002 film, which also starred Chinedu Ikedieze as Aki, helped make the duo household names in Nigerian entertainment.
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Years later, scenes and facial expressions from Iheme’s films became popular memes, giving the Pawpaw character a new life across social media.
September 03, (THEWILL) — Nollywood actor Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw, has appeared on a global list of children who became internet legends because of one viral moment.
The list was shared on Instagram by Realibity and features several people who became widely recognised after their childhood photos or videos went viral online.
Pawpaw’s inclusion stands out because Iheme was already an adult when he became famous for playing a child character.
Iheme was in his 20s when he took on the role of Pawpaw in the 2002 Nollywood comedy “Aki na Ukwa,” where he starred alongside Chinedu Ikedieze, who played Aki.
The film became a major hit and made the two actors widely known for their comic performances as mischievous children. Their popularity also led to appearances together in several other Nollywood films.
Years after the movies that made him famous, Iheme found a new audience online.
Scenes featuring his facial expressions and reactions began circulating widely on social media.
His images became popular reaction memes, often used to express confusion, disbelief, frustration and excitement.
The memes introduced Pawpaw to a younger global audience, many of whom became familiar with his face online without necessarily knowing the Nollywood films behind the viral images.
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Pawpaw among internet favourites
Iheme appears on the list alongside several people who became famous after a photograph or video from their childhood went viral.
Success Kid, whose real name is Sam Griner, became an internet favourite after a photograph of him as a toddler went viral.
The image has since been widely used in memes about success and winning.
Bad Luck Brian, whose real name is Kyle Craven, became famous after his school yearbook photograph became a popular meme in 2012. The image was often used to depict embarrassing or unfortunate situations.
Side-Eyeing Chloe, whose real name is Chloe Clem, also became an internet sensation after a video of her reaction to a family announcement went viral in 2013.
Unlike most of the names on the list, Iheme’s viral fame came from a fictional character he played on screen.
More than two decades after “Aki na Ukwa,” Pawpaw remains a familiar face on social media, where scenes from his movies continue to be used as memes.
The irony is that Iheme was already an adult when he played the child character that later became an internet favourite.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
