Commics News | 25 May 2015 10:25 CET

Okey Bakasi Started Stand Up Comedy In Nigeria Not Me - Opa Williams

Source: Titilope Adeuja/Nollywoodgists.com

While the likes of Basketmouth, Ay Comedian, Ali Baba, Bovi have become the notable faces of comedy business in Nigeria, few will remember that the comedy showbiz in Nigeria had kicked off way before the arrival of these aforementioned comedians.

The comedy show that made the business of comedy popular in Nigeria is arguably 'Night of A Thousand Laughs was created by Opa Williams in the turn of the early 21st century. The show then became the platform that most of the established comedics rose to prominence.

However, the brain behind the comedy show, Opa Williams has revealed who is the real man that started stand up comedy in Nigeria as none other than Okey Bakassi, the former political appointee in Imo State.

Williams said in a recent chat with Punch, "In the beginning, I used to tell some people, including my good friend Chico Ejiro, that I wanted to do something different from shooting Nollywood films. I have always said that Okey Bakassi started stand-up comedy alongside Reginald Ebere.

"One day, we went out to shoot a movie and we had some hiccups. Not knowing what else to do, we started making jokes. Okey Bakassi and Reginald Ebere were the ones really making those hot jokes.

"Then it dawned on me that if the patients in their sickbeds and the doctors were laughing that much, which is something that cuts across tribe, class and creed, then I should as well do something about it."

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