Alincology is an On-Air-Personality (OAP) on Rainbow FM, as well as a comedian, who has been in the industry for quite some time now. In an interview with joy Akosa of Nigeriafilms.com, he tells more about himself and how the industry has been since he came in.
Can we know you?
My name is Ehigie Osarenkhoe, those who love laughing call me Alincology; actually, I am the only understanding comedian in Nigeria.
How long have you been in the industry?
Very long, actually, I started comedy officially way back in 2002, from Edo state where I come from. There was this thing we were fond of doing then called ‘yabing’. I found out that when I ‘yab’ people, it entertained others.
So, how has it been since when you started?
I actually found it difficult to break into the comedy market in Lagos. I have been in Lagos for the past 15years and it took me a lot of time to get things for myself. This was simply because I didn’t want to clean somebody’s shoe, because typically, anybody from Edo state has this pride that we can do it ourselves.
Are you married or still searching?
At all, because wife material is very difficult to find in Lagos, you can get all the flashy chics you want, the ‘what’s up babes’, the ‘happening girls’, but wife material is very difficult to find.
What are your do and don’ts?
I am very down to earth and that’s why I call myself the only understanding comedian in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I like being very human, I love the word humanity, but me in particular, I don’t like telling lies. Life is full of up and down, anyhow I plan it, that’s how I will get it.
Are there any competitions?
Yea, a lot of them, but I will shock you with the reason why I am not in that clique. I started way back with ‘I Go Dye’ and I believe when I started comedy back then, AY should still be in the university. Basketmouth was still schooling at UNIBEN or so. He was a rapper then while we were doing comedy. Though then, I was just doing comedy for the love and not for the money. So, when i finally came to Lagos, those big boys then in comedy industry opened my eyes. They told me to take comedy as a profession and when I entered the industry, I found out that even as a comedian, you can create an office and even employ people. The competition thing is much now, especially when all this lazy comedians make use of your materials. Most of these popular comedians that have come to lime light use majority of their materials from me; Gandoki, Ali Baba, that’s a challenging part I don’t like.
Do you do any other business aside comedy?
Actually, all the entertainment business as a whole, everything I do centres round the entertainment industry. We run an office where we do productions.
With the state of the economy now, will you say there is still space for the up and coming comedians?
There is this problem with the up and coming, like now I c-anchor a program on radio called ‘Comedy Happy Hour With D-Don’ and in the course of that program, there are exceptional days, every Mondays, for the up and coming comedians. We used to have them a lot, they come for auditions, while auditioning them, I find out that they don’t have their own materials. If I have not formed a joke on my own at least one thousand, I have been in comedy, at least I have been hearing jokes, You can’t come and give me a copied material, I will know and also know the person that owns the joke, or you give me a joke that is similar. But if you come and tell original jokes, we will respect you for that.
There are lots of young people out there who love comedy, but there are not enough platforms for them to showcase their talent, what do you think is the way forward?
We have lots of platforms, I run like four comedy clubs, Stand Up Nigeria (by Bunmi Davies) is another platform to showcase themselves, when you are good and original, there are chances for you.
How do you cope with your fans?
Some are very annoying oh, some fans will see you and appreciate you, some will see you and love you. There was even a day I had a problem with my car, one fan gave me battery, but some will just disregard or insult you, especially in clubs when you are doing club comedy, you lose yourself, not like corporate events where you want to package. I prefer female fans to their male counterparts.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
It depends on the transport sha, I will be seeing myself very big, worldwide.
Are you are not going to get married?
Marriage of course, if not this year, next year. Actually, I am not putting entertainment and my social life together. One, for entertainers, it’s very difficult for you to choose, that’s one reason most of this celebrities are breaking up these days because you are famous, and you have money to look good for yourself, then you now take love all around. Every girl will want to be with you, and you know girls can pretend a lot for a very long time of courtship. She will pretend she can’t kill a cockroach, immediately you put her in the house, she can use one leg to trap an elephant.
What are your biggest dreams so far that actually came true?
To have my product in the market, to be on air every day. I have gone for bigger jobs that if I am to put it in a profile, I would end up advertising the company, which they didn’t pay for.
What are these products are you talking about?
‘Laugh & Live Long’ is the title of my video CD project, then ‘Comedy Happy Hour’ is on radio. ‘Laugh & Live Long’ is also coming on TV by the special grace of God, next year.
Any challenges so far?
Yes, I am having challenges with lazy comedians, who don’t want to work, they will wait for you to do your own work then get your materials. On different occasions, I have heard comedians cracking my own jokes, they didn’t hear it from me, probably heard it from another person. It is a big challenge for me, that’s why you don’t see me anywhere again, because I am trying to save my materials for my own events, but it won’t make sense if I gather people to come and watch me and at the end, they are hearing what they have heard before, that’s one big challenge I have.
The comedy industry with the stage it is right now, how do you see it in the nearest future?
In fact, right now, people are making it more as a corporate business. I have a slogan, ‘making you laugh is my calling’. To crack joke is not a joke, to make you laugh is not a laughing matter, that’s why you see a lot of people making it. Bummi Davies’ ‘Stand Up Nigeria’, AY’s ‘Corporate World’ is now a brand. So, right now, from five, 10 years from now, government will start coming in because corporate bodies, multi-nationals are now coming into the business. Look at Project Fame, it’s more or less a comedy show. If you go to where it is being recorded, it is more like a comedy show because I am standing outside, other comedians are standing inside. I believe the comedy industry will be a big in five to 10 years time.
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