Stand Up Comedy – A Thriving Platform in Nigerian Entertainment

Going back to the 80’s era, some sitcom shows were aired on TV like Basi & Co, Second chance, The New Masquerade, Koko Close which thrilled Nigerian viewers especially Lagosians with various funny episodes. The sitcom was definitely “it”. However, one man decided to take the bull by the horns and introduce stand-up comedy to the Nigerian population. Opa Benson’s “Night of a Thousand Laughs,” which made its entertainment debut on October 1, 1995, had the desired impact some doubting Thomases never believed could happen. It became a regular event and its acceptability gained more ground over time.

Various comedians would gather under this platform to tell rib jokes. However, Tee-A (Babatunde Adewale), decided to take comedy to a higher dimension and was the first to put on a one-man comedy show in the country, with the tagline “Live N Naked”. Other comedians who saw the endless possibilities such one-man shows created did the same. Ayo Makun’s “AY Live”, Bright Okpocha’s “Basket mouth uncensored”, Julius Agwu’s “Crack ya ribs” have become regular shows. Comedians like Owen gee, Koffi, Gordons, I go die, Teju baby face, Gbenga Adeyinka the first, Basorge Tara jnr have graced their events.

Annually, new comedians from the block enter the world of comedy to join the old members. They proudly refer to themselves as “comedians of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with Alleluya Atuyota Akporobomeriere, also known as Ali Baba, as their great commander-in-chief. Some women have carved a niche for themselves in this male-dominated field, like Princess, Mandy, Lepacious Bose., and Helen Paul, also known as tatafo. Ayo Makun, in addition to her usual stand-up comedy event, has gone a step further in her noble quest to discover talented young comedians seeking the opportunity to jumpstart a potential career in stand up comedy. His monthly talent show, along with his TV show “The AYshow” has seen young people enter the field. Bumi Davies (although not a comedian) hosts the show monthly comedy show “Stand up Nigeria” that also entertains Nigerians.

Fame and fortune have accompanied these comedians, some of whom participate as presenters at corporate/social events and also endorse the companies’ products through advertisements, for example, Hollandia Milk (Ali Baba, Julius Agwu) and Glo (Basket mouth). Corporate bodies even sponsor these stand up comedy shows. A better life has been guaranteed for comedians who possess the medicine of laughter and are skilled at administering sufficient doses to the audience. Apart from the growing threat of recycled jokes that some comedians are criticizing, and the need for other states to become beneficiaries of the sphere of laughter, stand-up comedy has not fared poorly on the Nigerian entertainment circuit and Certainly here to stay.