Interviews | 9 August 2015 08:04 CET

Eligible Bachelor: Can't Find The Right Woman To Mary...Kunle Thomas (Exclusive)

Eligible Bachelor: Can't Find The right woman To Mary...Kunle Thomas

Ever jovial Nigerian comedian, Patrick Onyeke, who is popular with his comedy skit, 'The Adventures of Kunle Thomas,' was sited at an event recently and decided to unveil what he has been up to and what has kept his skit on the low side for a while.

The comedian further explained that despite his sudden rise to stardom, he is yet to find the right woman to settle down with as he continues to observe all the ladies around him.

You have been a bit silent for a while with your comedy skit and now your idea is used by many?

Nothing, we are there. You know we lead the race and others follow.

But your skit has been on the low level compared to when you started?

Yes, because we are working on new programmes. We are working seriously and we want to come out full time hopefully before the end of the year we should be coming out with something special. We are trying to take it to the next level.

How do you feel seeing others now do what you actually started which is called 'slapstick'?

Well, it's a good thing, at least when you bring out something you see people trying to do theirs too but like we do say, originality is still the order of the day. It's an open market, so it's a welcome idea people can do and we are also working.

You do more of comedy (standup), any plans of you taking into acting?

Yes, very soon, I will be doing that. You know that I was nominated for Best comedy Writer in Africa, which is the movie known as 'The Place,' I acted in the movie, so we are working on some other futuristic movies and some other projects, my future movie, my slapstick and my stand-up show is what we are working on it's just because of the election and the handover that made us to slow down a bit and understand the situation of the country but now things are balanced so we are working on it.

You are one comedian that is yet to organise a show, so should we be expecting to see your own show soon?

Very soon my stand-up show will be out. Na small small, you know everything is capital intensive but we are coming out very soon. People should look out for Mr Patrick. In fact, we have changed the name of the skit so we are taking it to 'The adventures of Mr Patrick' and not 'The Adventures of Kunle Thomas. I don't want to be identified with so many names. I want to be identified as Patrick.

Entertainment is diverse; would you support the notion which says comedians are the ones that pave way for musicians in the industry due to the shows comedians invite them for?

Well, I think both career is paving way for each other because even in a show when you have comedy and no musician, it's not a complete show and you have a music show no comedy than it will be dull, they work together.

But when comedians have shows, they bring musicians to perform but musicians rarely bring comedians to their events, don't you think they are feeding on you comedians?

This is Nigeria now whereby you need to feed on something to survive because nobody is an Island, so everybody needs everybody to grow. So I think it depends on the nature of every concert or every show, so I believe maybe it's the just the tradition, it's an individual thing. But I think straight comedy without music might be boring.

Comedy all the way, what did Patrick actually studied in school?

Well, it's very funny, I studied Estate management (na land property) but due to the talent in me, I just leave that side for now. So I am not practicing. I am just doing comedy because I believe there is more future for me in comedy than real estate.

You going into entertainment, what was your parent's opinion on this?

You know the typical parents life now, they wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer, but with time, they saw that you don't have to be a doctor, engineer, to take care of the family or be relevant in the society. Overtime, we get to understand that the career too is also equal to the task.

At what point did you decide to pick comedy as a profession, was it in secondary school or university level?

Yes, both in secondary school where I did minor shows and in university where I organised one or two shows so it's been a long time thing but we started commercializing after we left school.

So does comedy pay more of your bills than if you had practiced what you studied in school?

Yes o, because comedy we no dey go strike but other sectors dey go strike and it is not capital demanding unlike real estate where you have to be established to set up but as a comedian, you can just come up with an idea and before you know it, you are there.

We are yet to see ring in your hand, what has been happening to the lady or ladies in your life?

(Laughs) very soon, we are hoping till we see the right person now.

Are you saying you are not in a relationship or dating anyone now?

Well, I'm very free, very single, eligible bachelor. Though I have encountered the ups and down in relationships but I still hope to meet the right woman soon.

Other sites The Nigerian Voice