* to focus on the future of comedy
The third edition of ECOFEST, the annual comedy festival hosted by ace comedian and compere extraordinaire, Tee A, will hold in May this year.
This year’s theme “The Future of Comedy” was borne out of the desire to fashion out ways through which stakeholders can sustain the industry which has made millions of Nigerians happy whilst creating creative entrepreneurs e.g. comedians, skit makers, scriptwriters and event promoters, among others, the organisers said in Lagos.
ECOFEST, which is expected to hold on May 2 & 3, would feature panel discussions, workshops, analysis and spontaneous comedy routines via the open mic session.
“How far we have come without government is still how far we can get,” the convener, Tee A said while reflecting on the growth of the Nigerian comedy industry in recent years.
“Let government do government work, but put in place a policy, that is a policy for the creative space,” he added.
This year, ECOFEST will take place across two locations in Lagos – Nigeria’s cultural and entertainment capital.
According to the organisers, the venues and activities scheduled for the 2-day event are as follows:
May 2nd – Open Mic at HardRock Café
May 3rd – Conference/ Workshop at the Muson Centre, Onikan
They urged intending participants of the festival to register on its portal: www.ekocomedyfestival.com.
It will be recalled that the maiden edition of #ECOFEST featured high-profile entertainers such as Teju Babyface, Bovi, Bisi Olatilo, Bunmi Davies, Basorge who headlined the conference when it berthed in May 2017.
The second edition held in May 2018 also played host to major players within and outside the industry including Lepacious Bose, Omo Baba, Koffi, Basket Mouth, as well ANN 2019 presidential candidate, Fela Durotoye, who spoke on the topic: ‘The Role Of Comedy in Nation Building’.
Also in attendance were the Lagos State Honourable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Steve Ayorinde who spoke on: ‘Comedy And Tourism Development’, BHM Group CEO Ayeni Adekunle, and Mr. Abisoye Fagade, among others.
