Who Is Agu Stanley Chiedozie? The Nigerian Influencer Speaks Better Hindi Than Most Indians

Scroll through Instagram today, and you will find countless influencers chasing trends. But once in a while, someone breaks through simply by being unexpected. Agu Stanley Chiedozie, a Nigerian influencer living in India, is one such name that keeps popping up on Indian feeds and for all the right reasons.

Known online as @istanboss, the 24-year-old has built a loyal Indian audience by speaking fluent Hindi, understanding desi humour and reacting to everyday Indian life in ways that feel natural.

From A Pharmacy Student In Lucknow To A Familiar Face Online

Chiedozie first arrived in India as a student and enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy in Lucknow. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, he comes from a family of six and his name “Agu”

means lion in his native language.

Speaking to Hindustan Times (HT), he recalled how learning Hindi wasn’t planned at all.

“When I came to India in 2019, I made friends on campus. My best friend Utkarsh didn’t speak English, and I didn’t speak Hindi at the time, but I picked it up by listening to it,” he told HT.

Over the years, Hindi slowly became natural to him along with local expressions, tone and timing that now define his content.

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Reels That Feel Real, Not Performed

Chiedozie went viral in 2023 when his short, candid Hindi reels started gaining traction. Instead of playing up stereotypes, his videos often show him reacting to situations Indians see daily, which are all delivered with a straight face and sharp humour.

“Self-deprecating humour always works,” he told the outlet and added that not everyone understands when something becomes offensive. Recalling an uncomfortable incident, he shared, “When an unkind word was tossed at me at a food court on my way to Pune, I still took a selfie with the guy.”

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India’s Got Latent And A Viral Roast Moment

His online popularity soon crossed into mainstream digital spaces. Chiedozie appeared as a guest panelist on Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent where he surprised many with his confident Hindi and quick comebacks.

One particular moment (where he roasted fellow guest Deepak Kalal) went viral and further cemented his place in Indian internet culture. For many viewers, it was their first time seeing a Nigerian creator feel this comfortable in desi comedy circles.

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Handling Stereotypes, Trolls And Language With Wit

Some of Chiedozie’s content also addresses racial stereotypes head-on but always through humour. In one of his reels, he jokes in Hindi, “Lagta hai kisi ne mujhpe kaala jaadu karwaya hai, nahi toh bachpan mein toh main gora tha (It feels like someone has done
black magic on me, because as a child, I used to be fair).”

Explaining his approach, he said, “There’s been a lot of stereotyping and myths relating to black people, and I’ve decided to correct these using my platform and present it in a comical way.”

The Concert Brawl That Suddenly Put Him In Headlines

In November 2025, Chiedozie briefly found himself in the news after a physical altercation at a Karan Aujla concert in Mumbai. Clips from the incident circulated widely online, though the exact reason behind the scuffle was never confirmed.

Life Beyond Reels: Sports, Food And Films

Standing over six feet tall, Chiedozie is also a semi-professional basketball player and once hoped to play kabaddi professionally. During the interview, he laughed about missing the weight cut-off and said kabaddi capped players at 85 kg while he weighed around
125 kg.

Food is another big part of his life. He has been cooking since he was nine and often sources Nigerian ingredients from Mira Road in Mumbai. Jollof rice, Zobo drink and West African spices remain close to his heart and he has even spoken about wanting to open a Nigerian restaurant in India someday.

On the acting front, Chiedozie has already appeared in Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar alongside Bobby Deol, a film that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is also set to begin shooting for a South Indian film He has also been cast in an upcoming
South Indian film.