Veteran Nigerian stand-up comedian, Master of Ceremonies (MC) and actor, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, was recently honoured with Award of Excellence at the November special edition of The Forum by Ojez. In this interview with , Ali Baba, who is celebrated as the “Godfather of Nigerian Comedy”, talks about the award, stand-up comedy in Nigeria, challenges, Nollywood, and other issues I feel specially honoured, especially by the forum. I think the forum is made up of elders and accomplished creative minds and entrepreneurs and businessmen that don’t suffer fools gladly.
And so they decided to honour me. I think they did their job; they must have crossed their t’s and dotted their i’s, and see that I was deserving to be invited here. Which is why I had to make the day out to make sure that I was here.
I’m honoured, and I don’t take it lightly. I think most times every honour you get is “a thank you and we look forward to seeing more.” Most times, nearly every time.
Every time you see someone honour you, it is that, “okay, I have seen what you have done, take your plaque or take your flowers.” But after giving you the flowers, they are saying, “now do more.” Or a better way to put it is that once you’ve been honoured, it is now time for you to justify the honour that you have been given.
So that’s the challenge that I see. The way I see it is that even if you create a new church today, you still use the Bible. If you decid.