Stand-up comedian, Bovi Ugboma, is an actor, a writer and producer. He discusses his career and competition in the industry
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You are one of the multi-talented few in the industry...
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When people ask me what I do, I say I am an entertainer. I am an actor, writer and a comedian. I produce my own TV show as well and I am going into films soon. Everything I have been writing, I keep for myself except for a few.
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Does this have anything to do with your background?
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Possibly. I studied Theatre Arts at the Delta State University. After graduation in 2002, I headed to the Nigerian Television Authority, Lokoja for the one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps.
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You were once the personal assistant to Richard Mofe-Damijo?
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Interestingly, I met him in a rather unusual way. I wanted to sell a movie script and I went to his office. I was trying to convince him to buy when he showed me more than 30 scripts lying fallow in his office. Somehow, we bonded and he offered me the job of a personal assistant, which I accepted on the spot. He taught me the business side of entertainment. It was in his office I learnt how to write proposals, meet clients and branding. We are still very close and he is more or less my father.
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Why did you host a one –man show?
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I think every comedian deserves an opportunity to entertain his audience at a full stretch. The norm in the industry now is that people host shows and feature so many artistes. In as much as it is a good thing, a comedian should be able to hold the attention of his audience for as long as possible. One- man shows are not common in this part of the world but I pulled it off successfully.
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How do you get inspiration for your jokes?
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I draw content from social happenings, both past and present. I do a lot of satire. I pick on a particular issue and try to make light of it while still passing a very strong message.
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Comedians are known to steal jokes from their colleagues. Do you do that?
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There is a lot of recycling going on in the industry. There are jokes that are famous and we have seen up to eight people, tell the same joke. As a result, in most cases, people cannot tell who the originator of the joke is and comedians hide under that guise to repeat the joke during their performances. It is a matter of time before the practice is curbed but luckily, people hardly tell my jokes. I do not have an issue with people telling my jokes at private gigs, but it becomes an issue is when it is recorded to be broadcast.
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So who are your role models?
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I learn one or two things from different comedians including the up and coming. Basketmouth is my very good friend and he is one of the few people who saw what I was capable of before the world saw it. He gave me a lot of gigs and we think alike. We have our differences, we argue but our connection is very brotherly. Alibaba is another person I respect; he was the one who told me I had the talent to do stand-up comedy.
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Who do you consider your competitors in the industry?
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I am my greatest competitor and I have always held my own. I am not even threatened by emerging competition because I think its better we have these people come on board instead of engaging in some illegal venture. Even if stand-up comedy does not work for them, they might through trial and error discover something else that will work for them. Almost everything in Nigeria has a bandwagon effect but the industry will filter itself.
I can't imagine this guy on the pitch, his fellow players would just be laughing throughout the game.