Days are long gone when the comedy profession was seen as a job meant for the never do wells. As it is at the moment, while so many people are cracking their ribs, laughing at their jokes, these men (and women) laugh all the way to the bank. They count their money in millions and are getting more and more recognition. Now, they even export their jokes and profession outside Nigeria hosting major events. To them, what they do is no longer a joke but serious business. Saturday Beats looks at some of these comedians.
Basketmouth
Ever since Bright
‘Basketmouth’ Okpocha came into limelight over a decade ago, this comedian has
been trailblazing the industry. Although he thought he would make it as a
musician, God had something else in store for him. In 1991, he discovered his
skills in drumming, which he did for over five years. During his days as an
instrumentalist for his church and a band at a point, he also discovered his
skills in rap music and later diverted into that path in 1994. In 1995, he, his
friends and brother formed a group called Da Psychopaths. It had seven members
but they split before they could even release an album or a single. Now he is a
celebrated comedian. He has a highly anticipated show scheduled for the UK. It
is reported that a bank has thrown its weight behind him by sponsoring his
comedy tour with N30m. The show is to hold this month in Manchester, Birmingham
and London respectively.
AY
Whenever Ayo Makun holds his
annual AY Live Show, it is usually a sell out. The comedian is a brand
ambassador to various products. He is also an active media person with several
television shows and a television channel on YouTube which was ranked as the
number one most watched in Africa. Although many would argue that he is not the
funniest of all comedians in the country, what he lacks in stand-up comedy, he
doubles it in his comedy skit. His comic skits are known to be aimed at current
controversies and controversial personalities and have often times put him at
loggerheads with subjects of the skit. He recently settled a misunderstanding
he had with his friend and actor, Jim Iyke. No matter what, AY is sure making
his money.
Gbenga Adeyinka
The brand Gbenga Adeyinka is
synonymous with Star Lager beer. For over six years, the chubby dark-skinned
comedian has been contracted to host events by the premium lager beer. Be it
Star Trek, Star Game Show and the recent Lagos Countdown organised by the
alcoholic beverage, the comedian has every reason to smile, courtesy of
Nigerian Breweries. Also, when it comes to major events, top weddings and
awards, Gbenga does such effortlessly. Gbenga would certainly relish 2013
as he hosted so many high society weddings. While the bride and groom beamed
with smiles over their union, the comedian beamed with smiles over his pay
cheque.
Julius Agwu
Although he is into music, the
comic merchant is known for his dexterity when it comes to putting smiles on
peoples’ faces. Grateful for his life, De Genius as he is often referred to,
had to fend for himself by hawking pap at the age of six. But his humble
beginning didn’t deter him from turning out to be a mega star today. His
franchise, Crack Ya Ribs, has been a success over the years and has toured
various states in the country. The show is not only known in the country, he
has successfully hosted the show in London. The last edition was well attended
by Nigerian celebrities and top politicians. He was spotted at the recently
concluded Grammy Award ceremony.
Helen Paul
Helen Paul is not just a
comedienne but also an On Air Personality. Currently, she leads the pack of
Nigerian comediennes. She has a dual personality on stage and this works to her
advantage as she easily switches from Helen Paul to her alter ego, Tataafo. The
fair-complexioned comedienne is also a top choice when it comes to government events.
Just last year, she hosted an event that was attended by the First Lady of the
country and succeeded in making the mother of the nation laugh. While the Dame
was laughing, Helen Paul knew after the show, it would be her turn to smile as
she counted her money.
Seyi Law
Probably the youngest on the
list in the profession, the dark-skinned humour peddler has had a good run with
comedy. Prior to his fame which he got on AY’s platform, Seyi Law was
relatively unknown. At a point in his life, he had to hawk sachet water and
recharge cards at parks to earn a living. Today, all is history as he has been
able to build a multi-million naira mansion at Ikorodu through comedy. He also
recently launched an event centre and lounge also in Ikorodu. With this, he hopes
his laughter would be louder to the bank this year.
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