Wode Maya: Ghanaian Travel YouTuber, Destinations, Videos and Style
Who is Wode Maya? Ghanaian travel YouTuber sharing positive African stories in English. Destinations, best videos, style, facts verified Sep 2026.
Key takeaways
- Wode Maya is a Ghanaian travel YouTuber known for sharing positive stories from Africa and the African diaspora, filmed for global English-speaking audiences.
- About 2.01M YouTube subscribers and ~1,560 videos in 2026 — figures change daily, always check the live channel.
- He studied aeronautical engineering in China and became the first Ghanaian YouTuber to pass one million subscribers (Forbes Africa, 2022).
- Start with his China years, the meeting with Aliko Dangote in Grenada, and his Ethiopian cliff-church climb (Abuna Yemata Guh, Dec 2025).
Quick facts
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator | Wode Maya (born Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon) |
| YouTube channel | WODE MAYA — @wodemaya |
| Country / origin | Ghanaian — born Ahekofi, Ghana (verified) |
| Language | English |
| Content type | Positive African stories, travel documentaries, interviews, diaspora and China-African life |
| Subscribers | ~2.01M, ~310M views, ~1,560 videos (vidIQ, June 2026); 1.95M (Wikipedia, Oct 2025) — figures change daily |
| Main destinations | Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, Grenada, Cape Verde, Morocco and many African destinations |
| YouTube start | Channel created January 10, 2013 (vidIQ); active 2013–present |
| Education | Shenyang Aerospace University, China — aeronautical engineering |
| Official site | wodemaya.me |
Who is Wode Maya?
Wode Maya, born Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon on March 3, 1994 in Ahekofi, Ghana, is a Ghanaian YouTuber, storyteller and travel content creator. He studied aeronautical engineering at Shenyang Aerospace University in China, where his media story began.
According to Wikipedia and his own interviews, interest in aviation and his father’s influence shaped his path. His father died in 2017; in interviews Wode Maya says that a major motivation is taking care of his mother, and that his platform “paved the way”.
His own words from a 2026 interview on Starr FM: “I love the freedom to tell stories people will still watch in four or five years — evergreen content, not fast-food content.” He contrasts viral-but-short-lived videos with the travel documentaries he produces, which keep earning years after publication.
At 32 (in 2026), he is one of the most recognized African storytellers on YouTube, and — with his wife, Kenyan YouTuber Miss Trudy — an influential African creator couple. He was the first Ghanaian YouTuber to pass one million subscribers, reported by Forbes Africa on September 20, 2022.
His YouTube journey
1. The student in China (2013–2017). The channel was created on January 10, 2013, during his aeronautical engineering studies. Early videos documented life as an African student in China; his infamous Black people speak Chinese clip went viral after he retitled it, and he kept exploring how to grow a channel from Chinese cities.
2. “Africa to the world” (2017–2021). He returned from China to launch a movement he calls “Africa to the world”. After a difficult start in Ghana, he shifted his travel storytelling to East Africa, beginning properly in Ethiopia (his words in the 2026 JoyNews interview). Videos from Ethiopian cities, villages and churches followed, plus his meeting with Kenyan YouTuber Miss Trudy, whom he married on September 10, 2022 after meeting in Ethiopia.
3. Mainstream recognition and business (2022–2026). After passing 1M subscribers (Forbes Africa, Sep 20, 2022), he spoke at forums such as the World Economic Forum and the Munich Security Conference. He moved into real estate and hospitality — reporting in early 2026 that he had built six houses and runs apartment/Airbnb businesses in Ghana and Kenya — and took part in the IShowSpeed Africa tour in January 2026, helping showcase Ghana (including a naming ceremony at Akropong and the recommendation that led to a Ghanaian passport for the streamer). He has also mentioned holding a Ghanaian diplomatic passport.
Language is English. No official dubbed channels are listed.
What kind of travel content does Wode Maya make?
Based on actually published videos, not slogans:
- Positive African stories. Entrepreneurs, leaders, villages, markets and communities — deliberately framed to counter negative coverage of the continent.
- Travel documentaries. Long-form journeys with local hosts, food, transport and conversation around African culture (see his Ethiopia, Ghana and Cape Verde series).
- Interviews with leaders and celebrities. Aliko Dangote in Grenada, presidents, business figures — often travelling to the person rather than hosting in a studio.
- Diaspora and Africa-in-the-world stories. African students, traders and workers in China and globally.
- Education and motivation. Consultations, creator tips, and talks about building a platform from Africa.
- Africa’s landmarks. From traditional villages to the cliff church of Abuna Yemata Guh in Ethiopia (Dec 2025), which he climbed guided by locals.
What he does not publish: no luxury hotel reviews, no anonymous street walks, and no negative-only, clickbait “dangerous Africa” content. His value is optimism with evidence: people, places and faces that support a different image of Africa.
Countries and destinations covered by Wode Maya
Representative destinations with context. For exact video dates, check the official channel — titles and availability change.
West Africa
- Ghana — Ahekofi, Accra, Akropong. Home country; the independent square, markets, naming ceremonies, and the waterfall stop during the IShowSpeed visit (Jan 2026).
- Nigeria — Lagos and beyond. Content visits and collaborations around Nigerian culture and entrepreneurs.
East Africa
- Ethiopia — Addis Ababa and churches. The region where his “Africa to the world” journey began; Abuna Yemata Guh, a monolithic church perched on a cliff, climbed without harness in December 2025 per YEN.com.gh.
- Kenya — Nairobi and rural areas. Married-life content with Miss Trudy and Kenyan travel stories.
Islands and beyond
- Grenada. Site of the Fireside Chat at the country’s 51st Independence Day celebrations, where he met Aliko Dangote (CEO of Dangote Group).
- Cape Verde, Morocco and other destinations appear across his catalog; check the channel for current titles.
Related African storytellers on this site: Tayo Aina documents Lagos and Africa with a documentary lens, and Steven Ndukwu covers African tourism and real estate. Both pursue the same “positive Africa” direction from the Nigerian side.
Wode Maya videos to discover
A selection, not a “Best-of” without criteria. All links are official YouTube where available.
1. Why I Was Deported From China?
- Destination: China
- Subject: Student and visa experiences, Chinese trains and cities, his friendship with creator “Felto”
- Why watch: His personal story in his own words, with the transport and nostalgia of his student years
- Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afm_Rq0Vbkk
2. Why Being An AFRICAN In China Is Difficult?
- Destination: Guangzhou, China
- Subject: Interviews with Africans who have lived in Guangzhou for 10–17 years about visas, work and daily life
- Why watch: A rare documentary angle — African life in China told by long-term residents
- Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Ew4GliVUY
3. How I Met The Richest Black Man In The World
- Destination: Grenada (51st Independence Day celebrations)
- Subject: Fireside Chat with Aliko Dangote and Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell on diaspora trade
- Why watch: The “meets a leader” format at its most emblematic
- Watch: search “How I Met The Richest Black Man” on @wodemaya
4. Scaling the cliff to Abuna Yemata Guh
- Destination: Tigray region, Ethiopia
- Published: late 2025 (reported by YEN.com.gh, Dec 3, 2025)
- Subject: Climbing to an ancient monolithic church at about 2,580 m, guided by locals
- Why watch: Physical risk and cultural storytelling from one of Africa’s most dramatic sites
- Watch: search “Abuna Yemata” on @wodemaya
5. Black People Speak Chinese
- Destination: Shenyang, China
- Subject: Early viral clip of African students speaking Chinese
- Why watch: The video that taught him how titles and framing grow a channel
- Watch: search “Black People Speak Chinese” on @wodemaya
If a link is dead, search the exact title on @wodemaya.
Wode Maya travel style
Observable facts vs editorial reading:
- Narration: Warm, motivational, directly to camera; he explains the “why” of each story before the “where”.
- Rhythm and editing: Evergreen long-form (15–40 min), slower than news-style vlogs, with local music and ambient shots.
- Camera: Travel drone/camera combos, interviews with local hosts, natural light.
- Interactions: Guides, chiefs, business owners and leaders; he often travels to meet the person.
- Culture: Positive Africa is the mission: he says ordinary Ghanaians and African figures deserve their own stories.
- Food and daily life: Frequently included, but subordinated to people’s stories rather than shown alone.
- Transport: Land and air travel across Africa; border crossings and visa discussions appear.
- Accommodation and budget: Ranges from village stays to forum hotels, rarely the focus.
- Storytelling: One person-group or one place per video, with a clear message about who Africans are.
Difference from Global Silent Walks: Wode Maya narrates and advocates; a Silent Walk lets the place speak for itself, no narration.
Who is Wode Maya channel for?
- Viewers wanting positive African stories: Entrepreneurs, students, chiefs and everyday heroes.
- Diaspora audiences: Stories connecting Africa and its diaspora in China, Europe and the Americas.
- Travel inspiration for Africa: Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Morocco and beyond.
- Young creators: He openly teaches channel growth, evergreen content and monetisation.
- Families: Generally safe, motivational and clean content.
- Slow travellers: Use his stories for context and inspiration, then a Silent Walk for the calm experience.
No score or ranking — just fit.
Destinations inspired by Wode Maya on Global Silent Walks
After seeing Africa through Wode Maya’s lens, walk its cities calmly on foot:
- After his Cape Verde content: Cape Verde Silent Walk.
- After his Egypt or North Africa series: Cairo Silent Walk and Marrakech Silent Walk.
- After his South Africa stories: Cape Town Silent Walk.
Wode Maya does not recommend, sponsor or use Global Silent Walks unless officially stated. These are independent editorial bridges.
Explore the destination differently
Wode Maya travels to show “the Africa you are not told about”. A Silent Walk adds the quiet dimension: no message, no commentary, just the soundscape of an African city or coastal town. Watch him for context and motivation; walk to feel the place itself.
Start with World Destinations, France Guide and Paris Guide.
Official socials
Only official accounts, sourced from wodemaya.me and his video descriptions. Counts change daily:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wodemaya
- Website: https://wodemaya.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrghanababy/
- X: https://twitter.com/wode_maya
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wodemaya99/
No other accounts are listed here to avoid fakes.
In pictures: Wode Maya
FAQ
Who is Wode Maya?
Ghanaian travel YouTuber and storyteller born Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon on March 3, 1994 in Ahekofi, Ghana; first Ghanaian YouTuber past 1M subscribers (Forbes Africa, 2022).
How many subscribers does he have?
About 2.01M and ~310M views on YouTube (vidIQ, June 2026); Wikipedia recorded 1.95M in October 2025. Check the live channel.
Who is his wife?
Kenyan travel YouTuber Miss Trudy, married September 10, 2022; they work on the same positive-Africa universe of content.
Where to start?
Watch the Africa-in-China videos first, then the Dangote meeting in Grenada and the Ethiopian cliff church.
What did he study?
Aeronautical engineering at Shenyang Aerospace University in China — hence his aviation theme and “buy a private jet” goal mentioned in interviews.
Where to watch?
Official YouTube @wodemaya and wodemaya.me.
Sources
- Wikipedia “Wode Maya”, last updated October 21, 2025 — used for cross-check of biographical facts
- Forbes Africa, September 20, 2022 — first Ghanaian YouTuber past 1M subscribers
- vidIQ channel stats, updated June 15, 2026: 2.01M subs, 310M views, 1,560 videos, channel created January 10, 2013
- YEN.com.gh, December 3, 2025 — Abuna Yemata Guh climb
- Gan Jing World mirror of the Dangote video (Grenada, 51st Independence)
- Starr FM interview, January 2026 — real estate, evergreen content, aviation
- JoyNews Personality Profile, 2026 — Africa to the world, IShowSpeed Ghana, diplomatic passport
- Official site: wodemaya.me; video descriptions for social accounts
Data verified September 28, 2026. Subscribers and views change daily. Recent videos to check on the official channel.
Last verification: September 28, 2026.
