Nigerian stand-up comedian — Abovi Ugboma, popularly known as Bovi, has said skit-making is not a threat to stand-up comedy in the country’s entertainment industry.
Bovi shared this in an interview with Midweek Entertainment, where he stated that before the advent of social media, skit-making was used to promote stand-up comedy shows, adding that the claims that skit-making is overshadowing stand-up comedy are baseless.
In his words, Bovi said: Skits threatening stand-up comedy is a very stupid assumption. Skit making is skit making and stand-up comedy is stand-up comedy. There has always been skit-making, even before the advent of social media.
“I don’t know where the theory that one is affecting the other came from, it makes absolutely no sense and I hate to indulge in the topic because even before social media, we used to use skits to promote our shows, people can watch skits and still go for shows.
“All the comedy shows they did last year, sold out and all the skits went viral, so who is trying to bring the idea that one is suppressing the other? It makes absolutely no sense and I don’t think I want to talk about this again.”
Explaining further, the stand-up comedian noted that people could try whatever their passion was without boxing themselves.
He said, “As a human being, whatever you think you can do, you should give it a shot. Some people are skit makers, stand-up comedians, actors, writers, and producers, like me.
“Some people are musicians, actors, and comedians, so whatever rocks your boat, do it. If you succeed, it is all well and good, if you don’t, try again and if you feel you can’t try after several times, then let it go. You’re a journalist today and you can decide you want to act; you’ll get your shot. Who partitioned it? No one, so, why are we trying to box people? Everyone is welcome, that’s my idea.”
