By Zayd Ibn Isah
Dr. Christian Jarret, a psychologist and author of the Rough Guide To Psychology, noted in a 2013 article that, ‘’Scientists still struggle to explain exactly what makes people laugh.’’ Well, I would advise that they come to Nigeria and conduct a proper research. In this country, we laugh for so many reasons. And that might be why we’ve been considered some of the happiest people on earth, in spite of the myriads of problems bedeviling our nation. Certainly, if there is one thing we are good at, it is the ability to turn our pains and sorrows into joy and laughter. This propensity to create jokes out of every national tragedy is the reason why we are regarded as “suffering and smiling” people. Perhaps that explains the proliferation of comedians in Nigeria, so much so that every Musa, Femi and Uche wants to be cracking ribs, if only to later smile to the bank while their audience laugh away their sorrows.
Nigerians love and respect their comedians, musicians, actors and actresses. In fact, the entertainment industry is one of the most revered industries in the country. Even our politicians recognize this. That’s why they often seek the support and endorsements of influential celebrities during electioneering campaigns. The power that certain celebrities wield in the public sphere is incredibly strong. Some of them can almost get away with anything, brushing off scandals and controversies, mostly because their fanatical followers always rise up in their defense. Surely, if the iconic but disgraced American singer, R Kelly, is given the opportunity to come back to this world for the second time, he would beg God to make him a Nigerian.
Like poetic license, comedians on stage appear capable of doing much without fearing consequences. They use foul words on their audience, beg for money and perpetrate all sorts of inanities to the laughter and implicit approval of their so-called fans. In fact, it’s a common thing for a comedian to identify someone from amongst the audience and insult them soundly. Usually, insulting someone can be viewed as an invitation of trouble, especially the sort involving fisticuffs and lasting enmity. Nothing like that happens to the comedian, the one who makes people laugh at the expense of others. It pays to be a comedian or even a musician in Nigeria. Oloun.
Now, let’s talk about how comedy rose from a relatively unknown venture to become the 3rd largest entertainment industry in Nigeria with an estimated income of over fifty billion naira annually. You may begin to wonder, “Is it not just to concoct lies for people to laugh?” Where is the money coming from? You may not know. I will tell you. But that will be a story for another day. Until then, let us understand how this industry came to be a force to be reckoned with.
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For the “Indomie generation”, whenever they are asked who is the father of comedy in Nigeria, they are quick to mention Ali Baba. Granted that Ali Baba (a.k.a Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome) is the father of modern comedy in Nigeria. But are we going to ignore the fact that beautiful acts like Baba Sala, Samanja, Gringory, Zebrudaya, PapiLuwe, Jagua, Aderupoko, etc had already laid the foundations for what is known as comedy in Nigeria today?
The amazing thing about the first generation of comedians is that they were just doing what they knew how to do best, and simply for the fun of it. Money and fame were not at the centre of their considerations. Over the years, comedy in Nigeria has transmogrified from Baba Sala’s Comic and Drama series to Usman Baba Pategi’s mock military drama series to Chief Chika Okpala’s iconic comedy series, New Masquerade, which aired from 1983 to 1993. In addition, there is also Afolabi Afolayan’s Jagua Drama titled “Prayer” to Opa Williams Night Of a Thousand Laughs, Ali Baba’s Standup Comedy and now AY Live’s Comedy Show, as well as others.
Interestingly, the advent of social media has contributed to the manner in which the scope of comedy widened in Nigeria. It has given birth to comedy skits with skit makers like Taaooma, Sabinus, Broda Shaggi, Mr. Macaroni, Sarkin Dariya, and a host of others leading the park. These skit makers have carved a niche for themselves by churning out contents on social media to their large followers almost on daily basis. And not just skit makers, but pranksters have also leveraged on these social media platforms, although their modus operandi has gone out of control and comprehension, leaving much to be desired.
A prank is defined as a mischievous act or a practical joke played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion or discomfort. Unfortunately, pranksters have taken over the social media, playing dangerous pranks on their unsuspecting victims with reckless insensitivity.
However, it is worth noting that prank videos are, by no means, alien in our public space. In some countries, including the USA and Canada, they have been a part of pop culture for a while now. Popular prank shows and videos outside Nigeria include ‘Scare Tactics’, ‘Impractical Jokers’, ‘Candid Camera’, ‘Punk’D, ‘Just For Laughs Gags’ amongst others. Most of these programmes were handled by experts in media organisations and were regulated and monitored by relevant stakeholders.
But the coming of social media, a largely unregulated space, has thrown up desperate pranksters like MC Makopolo, Zfancy, TrinityGuy, Kolobo and others. In many instances, these pranksters throw caution to the winds in a mad rush to accumulate views and followers not minding the debilitating effects which their actions could have on innocent victims of their silly pranks.
I have watched a couple of these insensitive and uncouth prank videos, and instead of laughing at the victims, I always share in their emotional trauma. What if they were to be hypertensive? Wouldn’t they collapse and die in the process of being taken to the hospital? In one of the prank videos I watched, one of the pranksters walked into a shop apparently owned by a married woman, holding his private part. He begged the woman that he was seriously pressed and should be allowed to urinate inside the shop. The woman was perplexed and started shouting. Now, what if in that process the woman’s husband had walked in on them? Your guess is as good as mine.
In another prank video, one of the pranksters, Kolobo pretends to be a madman and chases people around the street with a wooden plank. What if one of his unsuspecting victims were to fall down and sustain life-threatening injuries? Eh! Also, a story was told of a woman who received a random call that her husband was with another woman. This woman ran home and met her husband with a woman, although not in an uncompromising position. However, she went ahead and began destroying things in the house, only to be told that the whole thing was a prank. The husband was surprised that his wife could get angry to the point of destroying things in the house.
The list of insensitive prank videos is endless. Amazingly, these pranksters also endanger their lives while looking for their daily bread, or daily views as the case may be. After all, they are not altogether immune from mob attacks in the course of their actions. Some of them get beaten to a pulp and end up needing medical attention, but like stubborn flies, they are not deterred.
If only pranksters in Nigeria know the legal implications of what they are doing, they would tread with caution. But maybe they know, but just decide to damn the consequences. After all, man must survive. Also, some of these videos of their victims are often posted on social media without the consent of the people featured. This certainly amounts to a violation of privacy — a grave, civil wrong.
Machigold’s style of pranks is to fall down in public places pretending to be shot while everyone else scampers for safety. This has made people sustain serious bodily harm, and in some cases, people almost lose their properties while running for their lives. Perhaps, one needs to remind Machigold that in Nigeria, raising a false alarm falls under the category of a strict liability offense. And that the offender, when tried, can be punished with up to six months imprisonment plus fine.
The activities of most pranksters in Nigeria are despicable to say the least. Sooner than later, if their activities are left unchecked, it may lead to a grave tragedy, the sort of thing no one can even laugh about. Let’s save the water now that it is ankle deep.
Isah is the Media Assistant to the Chairman, Police Service Commission. He can be reached via [email protected]