A growing wave of comedians is now visible on the Nigerian landscape. It is not just making the country's residents laugh, but even the diaspora. Since laughter is undoubtedly the best medicine in any situation, there is no reason why one should not have a laugh or two by watching them. In fact, almost every person who has a good laugh turns into a fan.
Accelerated by the pandemic
Although there was never a dearth of comic talent in Nigeria, much of it came to the forefront after the recent countrywide lockdown observed since March 2020. Suddenly people realized that they had much more free time on their hands, which led to the creation of the best Naija comedy videos. There was a massive audience that felt bored, leading to several individuals creating skits and sharing them on social media. Sketches were generally short and consisted of different caricatures and characters. Many of these videos became viral too.
Not much of a history
There isn't too much history of these comedians in Nigeria. However, some have steadily risen to the top after a modest beginning. Here is a list:
1. Lasisi Elenu-
His real name is Nosa Afolabi, and he manages to play a large number of characters online. These characters include poets, Internet scammers, middle-class family members, and doctors, whom he's started portraying recently. Professionals haven't been too fond of his jokes since they've often been targets, but others have enjoyed these thoroughly.
2. Josh2Funny-
Josh Alfred's skits hit hard since they contain exciting wordplay and strong punchlines. Many people have seen him use a funny, oversized pink coat during press shoots. In March, he created the skit 'Don't Leave Me', which became viral worldwide. This skit has been recreated from South Korea to the US. In one shot, he says, "Can't you see I'm on leave?" Here, he can be seen actually standing on two leaves.
3. Mr Macaroni-
Mr Macaroni is a character created by Debo Adebayo. Interestingly, this character, shown as a sophisticated businessman, keeps falling into trouble by chasing women. Some of his most famous catchphrases are "fantabulous", "freaky freaky", and "You're doing well." These are now being used in Nigeria as part of everyday vocabulary.
4. Maraji-
This is the name of Gloria Oloruntobi, who has a habit of being ambitious concerning her parodies. She plays five different characters and gets to fit them all on-screen simultaneously. The comedy highlights simple and sometimes awkward conversations with parents, children, business owners, government officials, friends, and more. One of the skits shows her satirizing reactions of Nigerian parents to watching sex scenes on screen with their children. This ski, one of her most memorable, has been watched over a million times on YouTube. Her talent has helped her garner a lot of fame over the years.
5. Tacoma-
Apaokagi Maryam, better known as Tacoma, already has 1.8 million followers on Instagram and Twitter. The number of followers is less surprising than her young age- 21 years. She is known to satirize a typical Nigerian household where conservative and patriarchal ideologies clash with a youthful lifestyle. The female child is expected to always be 'decent' and not bring shame in any way, such as an 'unwanted pregnancy'. Her kits are very melodramatic, and she makes hilarious use of props like fake beards and head wraps.
Watch comedy on websites.
There are several reputed websites on which one can watch these short and humorous skits. Since most of us are already on the Internet for most of the day, it is advisable to spend some time on these websites. The top websites constantly update their content regularly.
Women making a mark in comedy
As seen above, most people making it big in comedy are men. However, a few women have been making their mark here for some time, which is why they certainly can't be ignored. One example is Maraji, whose example of parents watching intimate scenes with children is already prevalent. Her technique uses everyday situations to create laughs, as seen here. Though TV has been hitherto dominated by men, the boundaries of comedy are stretched more on the Internet, giving her and others like her a chance to come forward. Nigeria is already home to a massive film industry, ranked among the top five. The Internet, including YouTube and Netflix, has reached Nollywood worldwide. Many of these comedians have managed to gain success by poking Nigerian culture from the inside. Although one might see amateurish camerawork in the videos, it adds to the charm of the overall package.
