I once got zero applause for a joke – Elenu

Weekend Magazine: How did you come up with the name ‘Elenu?’
Julius Babatunde Akinlami: It is a nickname I have been called from childhood because I like to talk a lot. When people came to my house to look for me instead of asking after Julius they simply asked for Elenu. Elenu means someone who likes to talk a lot.
WM: How did you delve into comedy?
Akinlami: When I was hungry enough. (Laughter) I wouldn’t say I started comedy because I wanted to make ends meet. It was something I did for fun as a student. When I was much younger, I enjoyed mimicking the likes of Gbenga Adegboye, Papa Ajasco. Basically what we referred to as ‘yabbing’ in those days. Later in 2001 when I played instruments in churches, during night vigils when they have sessions for jokes, people would come up to crack jokes and all that. Colleagues and friends started comparing me to famous people who were already in the business. They would say, ‘you are funnier than this person why not give comedy a try?’ That was when I decided that I would take it seriously and see if I would make an impact in the business. I knew people who were doing a lot then but I didn’t know they were making money from it. I decided to do it alongside my other activities and develop a brand for myself.
WM: At the time stand-up comedy wasn’t quite the in thing in Nigeria. What satisfaction did you get back then doing it and did you consider it a possible business?
Akinlami: Ali Baba was on the scene already but he wasn’t so visual. The most acts people loved to see then were stage plays or comedy sketches like ‘Papa Ajasco,’ ‘New Masquerade.’ What we did then was to build a story line with punch lines. We ‘yab’ each other. The whole thing at the time for me was that I could made people happy. Not business. If there is something I love to do, it is to make people happy laugh and happy. It is important for me to be able to impact on people positively, to be able to come into a gathering and make people laugh. I grew up in Warri, my mum is from Delta. Laughter was all around us.
WM: In Nigeria, when people hear comedy, they mostly associate it with Warri. What do you think is the ‘Warriness’ about the way stand-up comedy is practised in Nigeria?
Akinlami: Living in Warri, the lifestyle in Warri is comedy in itself. I will give you an instance. I was in Warri not too long ago and was famished one of those days. A younger cousin saw me and said, ‘ah bros, the way you dey look like this, e be like say you hungry o.’ I told him ‘yes,’ thinking he was going to bring me food.

The next thing he said was ‘how you go dey hungry and you no tell your brother, and I dey here since? Oya bring money make I go buy food for you.’  (Laughter) Warri life itself is comedy.
WM: What influenced you to take that plunge into comedy professionally?
Akinlami: After the ‘AY Open Mic’ competition, which I was the winner of the third edition in 2006, I barely even knew AY. I had heard the name maybe once or twice. I was so broke and couldn’t even afford the form. I told him and he paid for the form. After I won, he drew me closer. When there were events, he would ask me to attend some and he would attend the others.
He would say ‘whatever they give you, let that be your own.’ It suddenly dawned on me and I said to myself, ‘wow money dey this thing o.’ That was when I reorganised myself and went back to my drawing board. I mean business now, and need to take this seriously. All I had been doing was for the fun of it. People were making money and building houses and living good lives, why not me?
WM: How much was your first pay for comedy?
Akinlami: Unprofessionally, free! It was so expensive that I wasn’t paid. The first money someone paid me was N1, 000. The person actually paid N700 and is yet to pay the N300 balance. I am still waiting.
WM: Who or what has had the most impact on your comedy?
Akinlami: Society, then my family, friends, things around me, the economy itself. It’s gone past the stage when you are cracking jokes about how monkey and goat sidon dey discuss. You should be able to create what stands you out as a good comedian; you being able to relate to people with what they know and try to bring the humour out of it.
Things they know and laugh about; create a story line out of it to get them thinking and looking deeper into the issues they may have overlooked. Things that people ignorantly laugh about, comedy can help them see the seriousness of them. Like at the AY Live Abuja show, we didn’t even plan to joke about (President Muhammadu) Buhari and (Chief Bola) Tinubu. We were on our way to the venue when AY said we should consider doing something about politicians and those punch lines people hear and laugh about.
WM: Does it mean you don’t necessarily have to rehearse prior to an event?
Akinlami: As I speak with you now, I am rehearsing. Every day of my life I am rehearsing. As I drive pass I see elements of my jokes and act from what people do and the several things I see.
WM: Do you have favourite subjects you like to joke about?
Akinlami: Not really. I crack jokes about anything that comes to my mind.  I love to watch my audience laugh when I crack my jokes.
WM: Do you have a favourite of your jokes?
Akinlami: All my jokes are my favourite. The ones that are not are those that don’t make people laugh. Once they don’t make people laugh, I chuck them out.
WM: Could you share any difficult moments when you tried hard, yet your audience didn’t laugh?
Akinlami: It was in 2007 after I won the AY Open Mic comedy competition. For everything in life, you need to learn to know how it works. Learn to study your audience; don’t go into a crowd of corporate elites and start cracking jokes about poverty. They may laugh but you are not likely to get the kind of reaction that you would get from a concert. Once I went to Delta State University to perform.
I had seen Jedi do what I planned to and it worked for him in Lagos. Delta is my home and when I was introduced to come up stage, I got about six applauses. Then I said they should welcome me better, on the stage and went back and made another entry. This time I got zero applause. That taught me to study my crowd better.
WM: Beyond being a constant part of the AY Live series, what else is there to you?
Akinlami: I am a businessman. I invest a lot in property. I do not know how to live a luxurious life, but I love luxurious living. I manage this by investing in things that I know will never depreciate. As it is, I produce and present on television.
WM: You studied computer science. Do you miss it?
Akinlami: Not so much. Anytime I am on my computer, I still practice it.  Thank God I am not a lawyer because whenever you stop practising law you are no longer a lawyer.
WM: In all the things that make you who you are, what gives you the most pleasure?
Akinlami: My family. I will always say some seven, eight, nine years ago, if someone were to tell me that I would be married in 2013 and have a family leaving very happily and be this successful, I would have doubted it. The truth is whenever I am down I only need to hear my wife talk. And that’s my source of inspiration.
WM: What is she likely to say to you at such times?
Akinlami: I only need to hear her say hello baby? She knows my weak points and knows what to tell me. She doesn’t have to be there to calm me down. If I’m angry now and you pass me the phone saying my wife is on the other end, you have quenched the anger.
WM: How do you joggle family with your career?
Akinlami: That’s where understanding comes in. During marriage counselling you need to understand that in marriage you have to set the right foundation. She understands what I do and the fact that I may not be around for a particular period. She’s been so supportive.
WM: What’s your favourite meal?
Akinlami: White rice, turkey stew and plantain! In those days almost rotten plantain which when you mix with watery very soft beans… oh beloveth, you are making some things happen.
WM: Asides comedy what other form of entertainment do you do?
Akinlami: I sing as well. And I am being hounded to explore it and now I am giving it some thought with the pressure.
WM: What kind of songs…
Akinlami: Anything o! Anything that will make people dance o! If I don’t shakiti bobo I will kitisi bobo.