Ace comedian Ali Baba, who started comedy in 1990 has opened up on the story making the rounds that he plans to retire next year when he will turn 20 years in the comedy profession. He told Weekend Circuit in his residence that he is not actually retiring but has plans to reduce the number of shows he will attend so that upcoming comedians can take them while he will move to bigger shows.
According to him, he will by next year be looking at setting up an institution to regulate and improve creativity in comedy by screening jokes and putting together books for comedians.
The institution, he said, will be called Comedians of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and will have a governing council that will be promoting artists in accordance with their creativity. “If one has been in the industry for over 10 years and someone comes today and becomes more creative, the governing council will promote the person that just came newly.”
He also spoke about setting up a 24-hour comedy TV to create employment and improve more on what they have done since it looks as if comedy is limited to only shows. The TV will afford many the opportunity to have comedy always, he added.
Ali Baba, who used the occasion to speak about his anniversary plans for September next year said, though he won’t reveal much to the press, it promises to be a full package for all his fans, including a charity work, adding that with all he has in place the anniversary celebration will match his status as an A-List comedian.
Going down memory lane, the comedian recalled how he had started collecting N100 for performing at shows in University of Ekpoma, Edo state and then later moved to Lagos where he started charging money for making people laugh.
On what makes his work interesting, he said it is always appealing when his children describe him as jobless because he sits down at home all morning when mummy has gone to work only to wear suit and step out in the evening to go and crack jokes.
The comedian, who recently was appointed as special Marshal by the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC), and who also won the best wedding MC at the recently hosted Wedding Events Awards Nigeria, however advised upcoming comedians to read up, watch movies especially comedy movies so that they can improve and become better comedians.
