Benue’s ‘minister of laughter’ ventures into ‘akara’ business

For the Adoka-born comedian from Otukpo Local Government Area, the akara idea became an option  and he went to seek the permission of a neighbour

For the quest to better his lot, 31-year-old, Justice Emmanuel Onehi,  popularly known as minister for laughter, has ventured into frying a popular Nigerian delicacy, ‘akara’  in order to earn a decent living.

Onehi, having waited for three years without any gainful employment after graduating from the Benue State Polytechnic in Ugbokolo, said he decided to look inwards and create a job for himself.

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He studied Textile and Design from the polytechnic and had been idle since graduation in 2018, except for anchoring events as Master of Ceremony (MC) which sometimes comes his way.

For the Adoka-born comedian from Otukpo Local Government Area, the akara idea became an option  and he went to seek the permission of a neighbour to use his spacious frontage as temporary location for the business.

Onehi in a chat with our correspondent in Makurdi, said the business he began with just N5000 over a month ago has brought him fortune and attracted all manner of people to his joint in Otukpo town.

Still single and hoping for a family of his own in the near future, Onehi cares nothing about being ashamed of what he does to put food on his table and to cater for his needs.

“I enjoy what I am doing, I don’t feel embarrassed at all. There is no job; instead of staying idle I just have to do what I can do.

“I am from a family of seven. I have serious zeal for making it in life and have always look up to a day when this dream can become a reality.

“As you know, we are in a country where the government has no plan for graduates, in a quest to make ends meet, I decided to go into selling of akara, just to sustain me and some of my needs,” he said.

Interestingly, with just one worker for now, the popular minister for laughter, a name earned from his comedianere, starts work every day by 5:00pm and stays till he finishes selling the akara before returning home between 9:00pm and 10:00pm.

According to him, the akara business, though, a small scale business with little or no serious financial implications for beginners, had, however, become the only money spinning venture, which can sustain him for now as he intends to continue until he gets a befitting job opportunity.

He said the business was profitable despite his major challenges of trying to acquire useful utensils for moderate expansion at the moment.

“Right now, the akara business is good with the help of my friends and well-wishers but I need sponsorship, the business needs to grow to a bigger level; we need to buy things like, benches, tables, frying pans, fridge,” he added.

“Business is my passion; I have passion for cooking and akara is the only cooking business I can afford for now, so that is why I decided to venture into it.

“Akara is a universal meal and it is loved by all, the upper, the middle and the lower class all of them patronises me,” he said.

He advised the youth to engage themselves in profitable ventures. “An idle man they say is the devil’s workshop; sitting down in a country that has little or no plans for her youths without doing anything that can benefit you is risky.

“We have a future and we have to start building early. There is a need to keep your degree at home sometimes and start something that will enhance you as a person. Let’s keep pride aside and make ourselves available for any positive thing that is capable of sustaining us.”