Communiqué 21: How two women built one of Africa’s biggest podcasts

Here’s how Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi FK Abudu set “I Said What I Said” up for success.

Credit: I Said What I Said

When Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu conceived “I Said What I Said” (ISWIS) in 2017, they were particular about what they wanted to create: a podcast laced with humour, its finger firmly on the pulse of youth and pop culture, and a platform that freed them up to talk about anything.

They wanted to host their show without worrying about technicalities. And so began their search for a partner with the resources: a studio, recording equipment, engineers, and editors. The search led them to Midas Radio, a podcast network under Aristokrat Records.

Along with the network, Ayeye and Abudu planned to experiment with four episodes. However, their already significant social media following ensured their first episode got thousands of listeners. (It currently has over 9,000 plays on Soundcloud).

In February 2020, during Social Media Week Lagos, Ayeye and Abudu hosted their first live event, and their listeners got to see them perform live. They joked and laughed and talked a…