Noted as one of the first female comedians in Nigeria , this single mom of one beautiful daughter is testiment that nothing can stop a woman who is determined and has a plan .
Being one of the first female standup comedians in Nigeria How did you get involved in standup comedy ?
I stumbled into comedy in my 2nd year at university. During the military era in Nigeria the lecturers and the military junta always were at loggerhead so as students were always stuck at home during the conflict. We had this particular strike in my second year that lasted for 2yrs I was so bored that I went looking for employment to cut a long story shot I started working on a show called " Charly Boy " it was a comedy show that aired nationwide in 1992.
What was your first big break in the industry ?In 1999 the publishers of Hip hop world magazine came up with a concept called "Girls Nite Out". An event were girls would run the entire show from performance to security to equipment you name it. We had female musicians, female Dj's female camerawomen, females were on the console etc but at that time no female comedian so since I was always seen on TV on the "Charly Boy" show as a comedian they asked me to join the team. I did it and that was how I became Nigerian 1st female comedian and with a lot of press coverage I got my break into the industry.
Have you ever had a bad performance if so how did you handle it?What do you do? We all have our days when we make people laugh and days when no matter what we say or do people will just not feel our jokes. When that happens you just keep moving forward. I make the bad days propel me back to the drawing board and i come up with new ways of making people laugh. If not it will effect your self esteem and your job.
What do you joke about in your sets ?
I have a Bsc in political science so sometime I tend to be a little political when i am on stage . But other than that i love to talk about relationships and kids as i am a mum of an 11yr old daughter who gives me a lot to share about in my sets.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced / or have faced as a female stand up comedian ?
Thank God that people are now taking us seriously and some brands too because some of their products are targeted at the female
audience. One challenge in Nigeria is that women don't get the better paying gigs and when you don't get good gigs , people don't see you . Corporates in Nigeria don't think of female comedians when it comes to endorsement, it basically boils down to the fact that most decision makers in the corporate world are men and men in my country generally seem to feel that the right to humour belongs to their gender forgetting that the 1st female comedian they ever came across was their mothers. As kids our mother's would make funny faces and we smile she would say some certain things and we roll with laughter. Most of us are lucky to get some jobs tailored to suit our gender?
Being a woman do you find you are restricted in what you can and cannot say in your comedy sets?
Yes so many restrictions especially as a single "African" woman, a mother too .if as a woman i am performing at an event women in the crowd see her as having loose morales. I have learnt to rise above what people of me and what i do think and perform comedy that i want. However in Nigeria if you tell what is called " dirty jokes" or "Sexual Jokes" you loose the audience immediately . They say it's a man's world. A male comedian could talk about sex on his set and people will be like he is killing it immediately you as a female comedian try to talk about the same topic 'sex' you will likely kill your career. As a mother I watch what I say on stage because I know one day with the internet and all my daughter will one day watch my performance so I want to be a good example to her.
What do you love most about being a comedian ?
I love the hours of my job and that I don't sit behind a big old table but I can travel to work, visit great cities of the world just to make people laugh. I tell people that I have a Bsc in political science's but the doors comedy has opened for me my Bsc couldn't. I am friends with Presidents and first ladies because of my job. I work during parties and festive seasons, I get to party and work at the same time . Comedy gave me the opportunity to meet great comic's from all over the world. I also love the the pay too . Lol
What nuggets of wisdom would you give someone/ a woman wanting to go into standup comedy ?
I tell young female comedian that no gender has the right to humour if you are funny go out start from your church small events family get together etc you need to learn on the job but how will you learn if you don't come out and try to make people laugh. Try to understand that in as much as the end is the money you should enjoy yourself and have fun . if you are not happy you can't make others happy. Go out my sisters you are a gladiator in a man's world your stage is the arena. Make sure you come out victorious even if as you step out of the stage you will still hear people shouting ' it's a man's world'
I stumbled into comedy in my 2nd year at university. During the military era in Nigeria the lecturers and the military junta always were at loggerhead so as students were always stuck at home during the conflict. We had this particular strike in my second year that lasted for 2yrs I was so bored that I went looking for employment to cut a long story shot I started working on a show called " Charly Boy " it was a comedy show that aired nationwide in 1992.
What was your first big break in the industry ?In 1999 the publishers of Hip hop world magazine came up with a concept called "Girls Nite Out". An event were girls would run the entire show from performance to security to equipment you name it. We had female musicians, female Dj's female camerawomen, females were on the console etc but at that time no female comedian so since I was always seen on TV on the "Charly Boy" show as a comedian they asked me to join the team. I did it and that was how I became Nigerian 1st female comedian and with a lot of press coverage I got my break into the industry.
Have you ever had a bad performance if so how did you handle it?What do you do? We all have our days when we make people laugh and days when no matter what we say or do people will just not feel our jokes. When that happens you just keep moving forward. I make the bad days propel me back to the drawing board and i come up with new ways of making people laugh. If not it will effect your self esteem and your job.
What do you joke about in your sets ?
I have a Bsc in political science so sometime I tend to be a little political when i am on stage . But other than that i love to talk about relationships and kids as i am a mum of an 11yr old daughter who gives me a lot to share about in my sets.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced / or have faced as a female stand up comedian ?
Thank God that people are now taking us seriously and some brands too because some of their products are targeted at the female
audience. One challenge in Nigeria is that women don't get the better paying gigs and when you don't get good gigs , people don't see you . Corporates in Nigeria don't think of female comedians when it comes to endorsement, it basically boils down to the fact that most decision makers in the corporate world are men and men in my country generally seem to feel that the right to humour belongs to their gender forgetting that the 1st female comedian they ever came across was their mothers. As kids our mother's would make funny faces and we smile she would say some certain things and we roll with laughter. Most of us are lucky to get some jobs tailored to suit our gender?
Being a woman do you find you are restricted in what you can and cannot say in your comedy sets?
Yes so many restrictions especially as a single "African" woman, a mother too .if as a woman i am performing at an event women in the crowd see her as having loose morales. I have learnt to rise above what people of me and what i do think and perform comedy that i want. However in Nigeria if you tell what is called " dirty jokes" or "Sexual Jokes" you loose the audience immediately . They say it's a man's world. A male comedian could talk about sex on his set and people will be like he is killing it immediately you as a female comedian try to talk about the same topic 'sex' you will likely kill your career. As a mother I watch what I say on stage because I know one day with the internet and all my daughter will one day watch my performance so I want to be a good example to her.
What do you love most about being a comedian ?
I love the hours of my job and that I don't sit behind a big old table but I can travel to work, visit great cities of the world just to make people laugh. I tell people that I have a Bsc in political science's but the doors comedy has opened for me my Bsc couldn't. I am friends with Presidents and first ladies because of my job. I work during parties and festive seasons, I get to party and work at the same time . Comedy gave me the opportunity to meet great comic's from all over the world. I also love the the pay too . Lol
What nuggets of wisdom would you give someone/ a woman wanting to go into standup comedy ?
I tell young female comedian that no gender has the right to humour if you are funny go out start from your church small events family get together etc you need to learn on the job but how will you learn if you don't come out and try to make people laugh. Try to understand that in as much as the end is the money you should enjoy yourself and have fun . if you are not happy you can't make others happy. Go out my sisters you are a gladiator in a man's world your stage is the arena. Make sure you come out victorious even if as you step out of the stage you will still hear people shouting ' it's a man's world'