Top 15 Most Influential Instagram Comedians With Verified Accounts

These megar stars have stormed social media with their craft and have become household names.

Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc. It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and launched in October 2010 exclusively on iOS.

These days, countless Nigerians are showing off their talents, skills, abilities and businesses on social media, especially Instagram. In this edition of Okafor’s gist, my focus will be on comedy. I will introduce you to 15 of the mostgifted comedians with verified badges (A verified badge means “that Instagram has confirmed that the account is authentic for the public figure, celebrity or global brand it represents.” “Accounts representing well-known figures and brands are verified because they have a high likelihood of being impersonated).

They have stormed social media with their craft and have become household names. This amazing set of people are funny, creative and are internet sensations and have changed the face of comedy from what it used to be. They have become big brands and are raking lots of money on Instagram through multimillion-naira endorsements, music video appearances, movie roles, digital advertising for big brands and lots more, hence, giving analogue comedians a run for their money.

@Markangelcomedy

Comedy is no rocket science. It is simply the business of making peopletemporarily ‘forget their sorrows’ through laughter-provoking jokes. Nigeria’s comedy industry has made some positive improvements in the recent past with the appearance of companies such asMark Angel Comedy in the scene. Rather than compete against the likes of AY, Basketmouth and I Go Die, who were already established in stand-up comedy, Mark Angel, like some other young men, decided to try his luck through the making of comic video skits on Instagram.An arm of comedy that was not really blooming at the time but had potentials, the Mark Angel Comedy has taken over the airwaves with its hilarious comedy skits which never fail to leave a viewer laughing.
Without a doubt, Mark Angel Comedy has taken the business to the next level and has found its way to the top of the comedy skit chain in Nigeria with a huge fan base on Instagram that led to their account been verified.

So far, Mark Angel Comedyis made up of three major team members- Mark Angel, Denilson Igwe and Emmanuella Samuel along their newly joined baby Aunty Success. This group of comedians isone of the most talked about Instagram comedians in Nigeria.

11 things I believe you don’t know about Mark Angel

1. Mark Angel is an indigene of Rivers Stateand comesfrom a family of three children,. It is expected that being a character himselfMark Angel, in Mark Angel Comedy,would use a different name when in character,but surprisingly he simply uses his real life name! Unlike most movies and video skits where the characters adopt a different nomenclature, he decided to go a different route and retainhis actual identity.

2. He is a school drop-out.To many this might come as a very big shock but it is indeedtrue! Mark Angel is a school drop-out. He wasinitially pushed into studying Medicine by his aunt who wanted him to be a medical doctor by all meansnecessary.But atonepoint, he took his destinyintohisown hands and abandoned the course for photographyinstead. He stopped studying Medicine not only because he had no interest in it but also due to financial issues. Nevertheless, he still intends to go back to school.

3. He did not own his own home. The road to success is never straight. In pursuit of his dreams, Mark Angel moved to Lagos in 2011, from his base in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He took up lessons in photography while squatting with a friend and after a while, he travelled to India where he learned cinematography. In India, Mark joined a theatre group called Gingertainment where he performed in stage dramas, mostly comedies.

4. He knows the taste of failure. Nigerians usually believe that people have an automatic ticket to success once they have gathered some knowledge from making contact with the international world. However, that was not the case for Mark Angel as he ventured into Nollywood (Nigeria’s movie industry) upon returning from India.Working together with Denilson Igwe, they worked ona couple of movies which altogetherunfortunately failed woefully.

5. Mark Angel never quits.Having failed in Nollywood, Mark Angel refused to give up on himself. His resilience eventually gave birth to his production company, Mechanic Pictures, which came to be following the advice of his friend, Denilson Igwe. Hesuggested that they start their own media company since success in the movie industry was far-fetched. Mark’s talent in photography and cinematography paved a way for the establishment of Mechanic Pictures, which involved shooting photos and videos for comedy skits. In 2011, Mark Angel Comedy officially kicked off.

6. Mark Angel’s mum is a One-Man Censors Board! – Mark Angel, in an interview revealed, that his mother always kicked against most of his productions which she felt violated the Christian moral codes. Speaking of his mother, Angel said: “She alwayssays that the reason Godgives us our talent is to promote His cause, and that the devil will do everything possible to destroy it. Whenever we shoot any skit, my mum is usually the first person to screen it. We have shot some videos and condemnation came simply because a lady wore revealing clothes in it. It is difficult to get content that is completely decent (????). She motivates me to think andbecause she herself is also creative too. In fact, I think she is more of a comedian than I am. My dad, on the other hand, is more of a private person but he is also a Christian”.

7. Their comedy genre is ‘Freestyle Comedy’. Like we were taught in school, there are different types of comedy.But many times, comedy, like we have in Nigeria, cannot easily be classified into one category.This is the case with the Mark Angel Comedy. When asked to describe the kind of comedy they do, Mark boldly declared, “Without fear of sounding naive, I really can’t describe our kind of comedy. We simply do what would make our friends laugh. It is nothing different from other comedies out there”.

8. He has no training whatsoever in comedy. Everyone loves to laugh but not everybody can make people laugh. Comedy, just like acting, is an innate ability but most times people who choose it as a career enroll in institutions designed for them to polish their skills. Surprisingly, Mark Angel has no professional education in comedy. According to him, “I just love laughing and love making my friends laugh too.’

9. The Mark Angel Comedy team is a bunch of ordinary people.Many people who shoot comedy skits usually go to wealthy areas, but notsosuch is not the case with Mark Angel Comedy. This is because in real life, they are just like every other Nigerian in the lower class and their background influences their choice of locations for their videos.“We come from a low-life area and we relate very well with the things that happen there.That’s why we create our comedies around those areas,” Mark once said.

10. His ground breaking comedy skit- The Mark Angel Comedy has produced over 150 comedy skits.But guess which one brought Mark and his team fame? Yes, you guessed correctly. It was the ‘Landlord’ skit.

11. Role Models- Mark Angel’s biggest role models are Basketmouth and Kevin Hart.

Mark Angel is also a comedy writer and writes for many other comedians. And guess what ladies, he is also single! Mark Angel Comedy allegedly came into the limelight following the introduction of its major female character, Emmanuella. How Emmanuella came into the picture has been a big question to the public and fans of Mark Angel Comedy.

About Emmanuella

Mark Angel Comedy cannot be complete without discussing the main character Emmanuella. Many people say Emmanuella is the daughter of Mark Angel, some say he is an uncle to her while others have wrongly concluded that she is just a little girl he is training to be a star.
Now that we are done with Mark Angel, it is time to enlighten you about the award-winning, child star and second-half of the Comedy Trinity, Emmanuella! Emmanuella’s full name is Emmanuella Samuel. She is Mark Angel’s niece and just like Mark, Emmanuella spent her early years in Port Harcourt Rivers State, as she lived with Mark Angel and his family from a tender age. In case you are wondering if the little girl’s parents are alive, it might interest you to know that they are. Mark Angel said in an interview that “we are a large family and have all lived together in the past”. Her parents are really happy that their daughter is now a celebrity and they are doing everything possible to support her career. The little star has been featured in so many episodes of Mark Angel Comedy that one may begin to wonder if she goes to school.But yes, she indeed does.

Emmanuella is a pupil of Perfect International School Port Harcourt and as difficult as it is to believe, she is only in primary going to college soon. You are probably thinking she is backward in education, right? No, you are wrong! The young chap is just 8 years plus. She was born on the 6th of July 2010. Her first appearance was at Julius Agwu’s show as an upcoming. She also made another appearance at Funnybone’s show. She did not ‘slide’ into the Mark Angel Comedy team because of her connection to the team head. She was discovered by her uncle when she was chosen for a role in a comic video as she is a student of his acting school. When they were preparing for the video, she was not picked for the role initially but she offered to play the part when the original person failed to deliver. After the shooting of the comedy skit, it dawned on her uncle, Mark Angel, that what he sought to find many miles away was already with him. According to Mark, Emmanuella is a fast learner and whenever they are shooting a comedy skit, it only takes her 3-5 shots to get a scene right. On the other hand sometimes, when she is not getting it, she will be allowed to sleep it off and when she awakes, she will memorize and get the scene correct.

Emmanuella has starred in nearly all of the Mark Angel Comedy skits and has proven to the world that she is not just a talented little girl, but also worthy to be called an actress and a comedienne. The influential kid won the G Influence Niger Delta Special Talent Award in 2015 and in November 2016.She was honoured by the Australian Government with two awards for her out­standing comedy shows –Best New Comedienne and Princess of Comedy. The event took place in Sydney, Australia and with it, she became the youngest recipient of the Afro Australia Music & Movie Awards (AAMMA). Emmanuella revealed that she would want to continue with acting even beyond childhood. Her role models in Nollywood are Aunty Mercy Johnson,who acted Dumebi and Aunty Chioma Chukwuka”. She looks up to Uncle AY and Uncle Basket Mouth in the comedy industry. Meanwhile, her favorite meal is white rice and stew with chicken. Mark Angel, Denilson Igwe and Emmanuella are arguably Africa’s biggest comic trio, making waves on the Internet,Instagram to be specific, and even beyond that with their comedy skits.

@CRAZECLOWN

If you know this person, then you probably adore his jokes. Crazeclown’s biography is another success story which all young Nigerians should know if they want to make it in life. He is known as Dr. CrazeClown or just “Papa-Ade.” Let’s check out some interesting facts about this comedian!!
The real name of this famous comedian is Emmanuel Ogonna Iwueke. CrazeClown is 26 years old and was born on the 24th of December 1991. He is a Medical graduate guess what ladies, he is not married! Emmanuel Iwueke is one of the rising comedy stars in Nigeria. He became popular thanks to his short comedy skits on Instagram. He is now also a NairaBet brand ambassador.

CrazeClown’s Background

CrazeClown is not the only child in his family. His parents also have three more sons and one daughter. His father is from Imo State while his mother was born in Edo. Both his parents are in the medical industry. This is why CrazeClown decided to follow in their steps and pursue medicine. He finished school in 2008 and studied at Kharkiv National Medical University (Ukraine).His is a very proud son of to his parents.
In many interviews, CrazeClown expresses his love for his family. They are very helpful and provide moral support when he needs it. He is very close to his father and they have often played many pranks on each other. Although he has a Medical Degree, he is more of a comedian nowadays and is a source of laughter for many people.

CrazeClown’s Career

CrazeClown started his comedy sketches at a very young age. He was even able to host several events in his own school. He is very passionate about entertainment and medicine. CrazeClown’s first appearance was in 2013. He is now one of the biggest Instagram comedy actors in Nigeria and is one of the most followed Nigerians on Instagram. CrazeClown’s audience consists of various types of people from different age groups and demography. He is not only an Instagram star but also a professional entertainer! He is currently trying to set up his new brand – “Craze Clown Production.” He hopes it will become a strong force in the Television and Media sphere of Nigeria. His other main project is “House of Craze.” He is working on getting a team of professionals who can help him bring his projects into reality. For now, he works with Victor O. Frank who is the CEO of “Studio Four Production.” CrazeClown believes that with the help of this professional, his comedy skits will be taken to a new level. To make himself stand out, he also has a personalized clothing brand for his fans.

@frankdonga

Frank Donga whose real name is Kunle Idowu is a Nigerian actor, comedian and journalist who came to limelight through the comedy series ‘The Interview’. Kunle obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun state along with a Masters degree in Animal Genetics. Kunle started his acting and comic career at a very tender age and while in the university, he was able to anchor events, birthday parties.
Donga is a professional at what he does, making films, short flms, videos and documentaries for almost five years now. Kunle has starred in numerous movies including; The wedding party, Tatu, Idahosa Trials, Hakkunde, Seven and a Half Date, The Foreigner’s God and many others.

@TWYSE

Twyse whose real name is Ereme Abraham, is a popular Nigerian comedian, video editor and Instagram sensation known for his comedy skits online. Tywse came to the limelight for his comedy skit “My Mum slapping a pan on my maid in the kitchen” which was posted by Aphrican Ape and Krakstv on their page. This in turn brought much fame and attracted lots of followers. He is well known for his creativity, passion and consistency. In what started as a result of boredom is now a full-time job. Let’s get to know a bit more about him in more details.

Early Life & Background

Twyse Ereme who is from Edo State Part of Nigeria, is the only child of his parents. He attended Obiye Primary School, Port Harcourt, St Isabel Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan and Federal Government College for his secondary school education. Twyse obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Graphics Design and Animation at Annamalai University in Chennai, India. He also studied Information & Communication Technology at Metropolitan University, London.

Career

Twyse who has done more than 100 comedy videos also runs a series named Twyse and Family. It is a three-part series which is an interrogation of all the members of the Twyse family. This includes Daddy Tobi, Mummy Tobi, Tobi, Taofeek, Sade, Ridwan, Gradma and of course the talented comedian Aphrican Ape. Twyse and Family tries to incorporate real life situation of the African home to the screen. The uniqueness of the characters he creates is what made him stand out. It’s an impressive work from him as it shows that he’s not only good in production but can also act very well.

@KLINTONCOD

KlintonCod whose real name is Ekene Clinton Egbuna is a UK based Nigerian comedian and MC known for sharing short comic clips online. Clinton was born in Warri City, Delta State Part of Nigeria. He obtained a degree in Biomedical Science from Anglia Ruskin University in UK and a Master’s degree in Public Health at University of Bedfordshire.

Clinton worked as a project manager in a London based Health Consultancy for a few years before he later went for a second Master’s degree in Adult Nursing. Upon realizing his potential for comedy, Clinton dropped out a few months later.

Clinton started off his career in the industry as a gospel comedian while delivering powerful performances across various parishes with his undiluted anointing to make people laugh. Besides comedy, he is also a content creator, social media consultant and Master of Ceremony. No information in terms of his wife but he does has a cute son named Noah. More updates to come soon

@BRODASHAGGI

BrodaShaggi’s, also known as Nigeria’s finest area boy, real name is Samuel Perry. Although he is popularly known as ‘brodashaggi oya hit me’ in his comedy skit,you will now learn more about him, his profile,net worth, his relationship to Aunty shaggi, his biography and his education.

As a child, Samuel Perry had always had the passion to act drama. He also knew he had the flare to be a comedian. According to him, he was motivated by his late father who taught drama at Mayflower Junior School, Ikenne, Ogun State. Since then, he has acted many roles and played many characters such as Inspector Perry, a policeman, Professor Dele, and Akonni Ibadan. This was before the stage name Brodashaggi came to existence. It was at UNILAG whereshaggi took his comedy talent serious. In an interview, he said, “Comedy is what I love doing and I like to make it as real as possible so that people can relate with it. I like to make people laugh, so, when they watch me, all they do is laugh despite the situation of the country. My aim is to affect people with comedy in a good way. That was what prompted me into doing comedy in the first place.”

The name Brodashaggi came about when he went to his mechanic’s workshop and overheard some of the mechanics playing around the character. He liked the prospect because of its funny nature and it really made him laugh. Samuel decided to use it and since then has been successful and unique in all comedy skits that he create.

HOW HE BECAME POPULAR

The comedy skit that made Shaggi so popular iswas the “Jesus appeared in Mushin” video skit in which he was asked by Aunty shaggi what he would do if Jesus appeared in that vicinity.

He portrayed himself as an area boy in Yoruba setting with the “oya hit me” slang. The video has since spread on all social media platforms and has thousands of views and comments on Instagram and other platforms. Although the video was indeed a success, he was heavily criticized by veteran actors to take down the video because according to them, it mocked the name of Jesus Christ. He responded to his critics that he was an actor and that there was no way he could have expressed that character if he didn’t do it the way he did it. In his words, “that is the typical way Brodashaggi would talk because he is a character from the streets. If they like what the character says, fine; if they don’t, it’s also fine.It is just like asking an actress to play the role of a prostitute but not wanting her to dress seductively. In real life, a prostitute won’t cover up her whole body. As an actor, you have to express your character the proper way it should be done because acting is make-believe.

It is important to make your audience believe what they see. People will always have different opinions on things”.

BRODA SHAGGI’S RELATIONSHIP WITH AUNTY SHAGGI

MostManypeople believethat Brodashaggi and Aunty Shaggiare truly dating in real life. But Broda Shaggi’s interviewer Sophia Urien, by her real name, are not related in any way as they only do comedy videos together. According to him, they met at a movie location. He shared his idea with her and they connected.

@WOLIAGBA_AYOAJEWOLE

Our next comedy star is Instagram personality from the ancient city Ibadan who is widely recognized for creating original skits and posting them on his @woliagba_ayoajewole Instagram account. His full name is Ayo Ajewole Ayobami Kunle, was given birth to on November 20th, 19__**Year Not Verified Yet. Lol** and is a Christian from Osun State.

Ayo Ajewole (WoliAgba) is a Yoruba-Nigerian gospel comedian and also a gospel singer. He spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Ibadan as that was where his parent resided. WoliAgba is a Nigerian-based philanthropist who derives joy in making people happy with his comic acts despite the fact that he never did anything relating to theater acts during his school days. Speaking about school, Ayo attended Baptist Secondary School Oke Ado Ibadan in 1998 and graduated in 2004. He furthered his tertiary institution and graduated from Lead City University Ibadan where he studied Economics. Ayo Ajewole(WoliAgba) Is happily married to Olaife Ajewole and they have aone child together. According to him, Ayosays that meeting his wife was one of the best miracles that had ever happened to him and was as though he had prayed about it….

In one of the interviews with Ayo Ajewole (WoliAgba) where he explained what prompted him into comedy and as well led to his limelight, he says, “Alfa Sule was the mistake of a man. We went to stage a drama somewhere which was titled “Soji, Mummy Soji, Daddy Soji and Alfa Sule. “This man was so interested in the drama, such that the only thing he could remember was the part played by Alfa Sule. This same man was at another program where he wanted us to perform. He was trying to refer to us by name but had forgotten our names. “Put Alfa Sule there” he ordered. When we arrived at the event and heard that Alfa Sule was asked to mount the stage and thrill the audience, we got confused and asked ourselves, who is Alfa Sule? He appeared and said “it is you guys. You performed a drama that has something to do with that name. I don’t know your name, but all I could remember is Alfa Sule” he enthused. And that was how the name was popularized in Ibadan in 2002.”

Speaking further, the Economics graduate from Leadcity University, Ibadan, revealed that he is a gospel artist and a comedian that combines music with drums and choreographic drama. “Comedy has always been part of me. It is an inborn talent. Of all the gifts a man could have, acting has to be inborn, such that whenever I’m woken up to perform, I know what to do.

@lasisielenu

There have been several conflicting reports about LasisiElenu’s real name and other personal details about him ever since he broke into the spotlight. While some sites report that his real name is Adeyemi, others claim that he was named Nosa Afolabi after birth. As for his age, which has been a subject of public interest, he claimed to be 22 years old during an interview with HipTV in April 2018. While a large number of his fans disagreed with him on his age, the Instagram sensation clearly maintained on his Instagram page that he did not lie about his age and that nobody should argue his age with him.

He followed up his first post on Instagram with another statement that reads: “Can’t someone just be young in peace. Fresh young blood flowing through my veins I Tell you.” On the subject of his nationality, he was born and brought up in Nigeria. However, details on Elenu’s birthplace, birthday, birth month and year of birth are currently unavailable online. Similarly, the comedian is yet to publicize the names of his parents and siblings, as well as information about his childhood, early life, and educational achievements.

Lasisi, no doubt, boasts a fast-growing career but it seems he isn’t quite ready for a serious relationship with any girl just yet. He is apparently in love with his career and seems to be very focused on it. At the moment, it is not known if the Instagram sensation is in a relationship, as he has no documented dating timeline.

Other facts aboutLasisiElenu

1. Afolabi graduated from the University of Ilorin, where he studied Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering. Okaforhas yet to verify this report.

2. He is a fan of American rapper William Leonard Roberts II, professionally known by his stage name Rick Ross.

3. Besides being a phenomenal comedian, Lasisi Afolabi is also a good rapper.

4. Sometime in February 2018, Afolabi embarked on a shopping spree with Malaysian-based Nigerian big boy Hushpuppi, who reportedly bought him a pair of Gucci shoes worth 1.6 million Naira.

5. Afolabi shared his first Instagram skit on August 11, 2017.

6. He was once a victim of an online bully.

7. His talent has taken him to many places. According to the comedian, he has been invited to perform at high-profile events that he wouldn’t have ordinarily been able to attend.

8. Before Afolabi dabbled in comedy, he was both a both a writer and songwriter. He abandoned the two for comedy after he discovered the comedian side in him. Just as he uses Snapchat and Instagram to promote his comedy career, used to also share his songs on both social media platforms

9. The comedian once shared that he was not born with the talent. According to him, he started working on himself after several people told him how funny he was.

10. Owing to his popularity on social media, Afolabi has scored a couple of endorsements from brands in the country.

11. As a singer, Afolabi has a single hit which he released under the moniker, Nature.

@MARAJI

Who is Maraji? Maraji’s real name is Gloria Oluruntobi and she was born on February 6, 1997. She has one sister and two brothers. She also seems family oriented as her mother is regularly featured on her skits.She is a 22-year old comedian, actor, singer, dancer and creative (creator?) from Edo State though she grew up in Lagos.In 2017, she graduated from Covenant University, Nigeria with a 2:1 in International Relations before completing her National Youth Service Corps. She is the comedian on Instagram that you see mimics numerous Nigerian peculiarities for humor and empirical relevance. She usually plays multiple roles in these videos and effortlessly switches between accents and vocal pitches to suit each character she plays, all in two minutes or under videos.

Through the years, she has worked to earn a reputation in an industry that only recognizes prowess or connections.
How she started

She started out uploading lip-sync videos in social media. Receiving fame from those videos, she moved into comedy skits.In an April 2016 with R2TV Breakfast Show, she claimed that her lip-sync sojourn started when she was in her third year, second semester while she was bored.She says a Nicki Minaj video led to her first lip-sync video. She says that she did a lip-sync of a Nicki Minaj song, and sent it to a friend who suggested she put it up.But she was reluctant due to fear of being mocked.The friend neglected her reservations and posted it on her behalf.From then on, they started lip-syncing together. But then, it reached a whole new level when she did a lip-sync of Reekado Bank’s song, Sugar Baby.He reposted the video which prompted people to start flocking to her page. She then did videos for Korede Bello and other acts. The response completely blew her away.She says, “people started making it feel like it was so special. I was like ‘it’s not that hard ooo’ and then they started making me feel like it was a real big thing, so I was like maybe it’s actually a talent.” From there on, she moved to mimicking comical videos and the story started. It is also obvious that she is very laid back and playful, and creates fun of even the slightest, overlooked things. Her strength includes relatable narratives, told with humor, accuracy, and other extras such as added pinches of underground exclamation or funny sound drops.

Aside from that, it is simply mind-blowing that she is able to portray different characters within the span of minutes. Others doubt it is her, but speaking to R2TV Breakfast Show, she confirmed it was all her and not just Jenifa., her creative process. Interestingly, she claims that she never knew she would be on this path. But it makes sense as she said that she is never satisfied. For her creative process, she says she pens her ideas down, before spending two hours shooting and editing. The entire process for her skitstakesa day or two before the final content is ready to go up.
Oloruntobi likes Jollof rice,likes hanging out with friends, has no role models and wants to be the richest African female under the age of 30. She prefers acting to dancing, but will not be dropping her skits. Currently, she hasn’t dropped making skits as of yet but she has definitely branched out into other things.

@Chief_Obi

Chief Obi, who is best known for being a comedianwas born on November 12, 1994 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Rapper Olamide was featured on his 2017 single “Carry Go.” Chief Obi is a member of the famousComedian list. Bring an Instagram Comedian who rose to fame creating skits as a stereotypical African father on Vine, his social media success eventually led to him becoming the first ambassador for Vomoz Communications.

@Slkomedy

SLK or slkomedy is Nigerian acting comedian. funny man comedian, MC, actor, writer, and the voice behind “Lying Unilag Girl” on CoolFM and WazobiaFM gained popularity when he started featuring his comedy skits on Instagram. After dropping his Dangote/Ice Prince video which went viral, SLK became one of the guys who’s Instagram handle people would check constantly for comic relief. His skits were even sampled by Dbanj on one of his tracks. And TimiDakolo also recognized him without any form of introduction when he ran into him in public. Now you know you are winning when even celebs become your fan. And of course, you are well on your way to becoming a biggie in the industry. Stand-up comedian and actor, OluSalako, popularly known as SLK, describes himself as a comedy geek. Slk talked about how his mother had yet to embrace comedy as an art. He said his mother always accuses him of lying on stage.“My mother still complains and asks me why I always lie on stage. She thinks my job is about lying. My mum is a strong Christian and I always tell her that everybody knows it’s a joke, but she insists that I always lie on stage,” he said. “She hasn’t embraced comedy as an art yet. Sometimes though, she actually laughs at my jokeshas heard me perform. “Anytime people laugh hard on stage; that is my best moment as a comedian; however, sometimes people may not laugh as you expect but that is still one of the hazards of the job. Every job has its own hazards,” he said.

Salako, who is a graduate of Covenant University, Ota, added that his mum would prefer him to have a 9am to 5pm job. “My mum is not totally in support of me being a comedian yet. At the beginning of my career in comedy, it was worse. She has never been a fan of stand-up comedy, but she is coming to terms with it now. She would rather I engage in another profession,” he said. The comedian, who is popular for his BodaWasiu skits, where he always comments on trending issues using names of celebrities, shared why he adopted that character. “I just started one skit and it involved one certain character called BodaWasiu, and I noticed people liked the character. Therefore, that is why I decided to use the character for my skits. The love was amazing and that was what made me do more. I don’t want to call it serendipity but it’s almost like that. I have always had a flair for word-play, and I just needed a character that would be funny and witty at the same time.Most times, the people I talk about don’t get offended, it is usually the people around them that do. There was a time I mentioned someone’s name in my BodaWasiu skit and it was the younger sister of that person that sent me a direct message on Instagram, saying she didn’t like it, but usually I don’t reply such messages,” he said.

@oluwakaponeski (mamatobi)

Next on our list isa comedian and social media personality, who is predominantly recognized for his alter ego character Mama Tobi. He is frequently posting sketch comedy bits on his oluwakaponeski Instagram account, where he has been verified.

Before Fame

He pursued a graduate degree in Business and Technology Management from Stevenson University.(?) He was an active member of the United States Marine Corps. Family Life: He modeled his character Mama Tobi off of his own mother.

@wofaifada

WofaiFada is a Nigerian MC, comedienne, actress and media personality. The 26-year-old Instagram celebrity commands a huge followership on social media thanks to her beauty and her ability to keep users laughing with her skits.

WOFAIFADA STATE OF ORIGIN

Wofai was born in Ugep Yakurr area of Cross River State, on 11th May, 1990. Born to teachers, Wofai had a middle-class up-bringing. She is the third of five children.

WOFAIDADA’S REAL NAME

Wofaifada’s real name is Wofai Eguewa. Wofai attended her primary and secondary school in Calabar. The fast-rising social media sensation attended University of Calabar where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Media Studies.
She started releasing skits in 2014, as a casual hobby. This eventually turned into a huge sensation. Her first TV appearance was MTN Lovers Ball in 2015. She is currently a TV presenter on Ebony Life EL Rated. She was featured in the Wedding Party Part 2, a highly anticipated movie featuring lovebirds Banky Wellington and AdesuaUtomi. She is planning to start her own TV show, Wofai Show. In 2016, Wofai was awarded the National Comedy Award and Best Stand-Up Comedian of the Year.
My Flatmates, a popular Africa Magic sitcom depicting everyday lives of friends living together, features WofaiFada as Sandra Samuel Ovie alongside bigshots such as Basket Mouth.

WOFAIFADA’S ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILL

Under the brand name Just Afang, Wafai is showcasing her entrepreneurial skills. She dishes a Calabar delicacy named Afang in Lagos. Wofai is known as a hustler and has no limits in her search for success. She has known to have performed all sort of menial jobs in her path to fame. She has hawked ice cream, sold second hand clothing and ushered at several events. While squatting at a friend’s apartment, she kept her head up high and continued to persevere.

WOFAIFADA ACTING CAREER

Her first movie project named Apollo, is still a plan in progress and she hopes it will ground her position in the entertainment industry as a versatile all-rounder. In December 2016, she was featured in Mike Ezuruonye’s movie Brother Jekwu, co-casting with Mike Ezuruonye, Angela Okorie, Huddah Munroe, Klint D Drunk, FunnyBone, Nedu and other stars. The movie grossed N20 million naira in its first 10 days of release in cinemas. In early 2017, WofaiFada signed with Monkey Media House as their first client. This is a talent management company founded by Godfrey Eguakun. Monkey Media Records has done a brilliant job of putting several African artists on the map and hopes to reciprocate this success with its sister group.

Kunle Idowu won best actor at The African Film Festival (2018). He got nominated for best actor in a comedy in the Africa Magic Viewers Choice award for his role in “The Meeting” but lost to Femi Jacobs.

@OfficialArole

Bayegun Oluwatoyin, who is popularly known as Woli Arole is a graduate of Psychology from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University. He began his career as a standup comedian and MC during his days as an undergraduate and was one of the top acts during his time in the institution. After graduating from the university, he went on to further his career as a comedian and has since risen in the industry. His breakthrough was the year he had won the second edition of Alibaba’s Spontaneity Competition. He followed that up with a viral video in which he attacked UNILORIN students. The students of the institution also replied and since then Woli Arole has continued making short comedy skits online.

Here are 6 other interesting things you don’t know about him.
1. WoliArole was born on February 22nd.
2. He originally hails from Ikare-Akoko in Ondo state.
3. He attended Olapade Agoro Primary School, Apata, Ibadan and Government College for his primary and secondary education.
4. As an actor, he got his first role in the movie “The Call” which stars the likes of YinkaQuadri, Hafeez Oyetoro ‘Saka’, SegunArinze, Ebiye, EtinosaIdemudia.
5. He has also starred in other movies such as Alakada Reloaded and Gold Statue.
6. WoliArole has got numerous nominations which include theCity People Music Award for Comedian of the Year and Top Naija Music Award for Best Inspirational Song with a Message.

@mc_lively

Our next great talent narrowly made this list because he got verified on the same day that I am about concluding this list. So, let me congratulate this funny man that has been doing a great job in making us laugh.
“My training as a lawyer made me a smart and confident comedian” – Sani Michael aka MC Lively.

I am regularly intrigued by multi-talented personalities, especially individuals who explore their talents to take advantage of opportunities in the creative arts sector. One such person is Sani Michael who is also known as MC Lively.He trained as a Lawyer but now devotes time to recording wonderful comedy skits and performing as a stand-up comedian. In this interview, he tells me about his motivations and creative process, among other things.
MC Lively hails from Edo State. He is from a family of seven and grew up in Ile-Ife. He attended Ideal Nursery & Primary School, Ile-Ife before proceeding to Moremi High School and ObafemiAwolowo University, all in Ile-Ife.

When asked what motivated him to study Law, He responded with, “I didn’t choose Law until my third attempt at JAMB (I wasn’t exactly always the most brilliant student in class). It was always going to be Mass Comm for me but OAU didn’t have a Mass Comm department and I really did not like the way Theatre Arts Students were being treated therefore, I was stuck with law! But choosing law, I knew I was bound to have a lot of exposure and would be able to express myself”. He also says he has been into comedy all his life, from the days and nights spent watching Night of a Thousand Laughs (CDs) as a kid, to watching practically every sitcom he could come across in his teenage years. The chemistry has always been there, but started with MC’ing in 2013 then gradually metamorphosed into a comedian in 2015.

Written by Emmanuel Okafor

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