We’re just scratching comedy’s surface – Ali Baba

Ali Baba: I was born in Warri. After my early years in Warri, I came to Lagos with my dad and we were at Ojo Cantonment. I went to Command Secondary School, and then Bendel State University, Ekpoma now Edo State University were I read Religious studies and Philosophy. I did my Youth Service in […]

Ali Baba: I was born in Warri. After my early years in Warri, I came to Lagos with my dad and we were at Ojo Cantonment. I went to Command Secondary School, and then Bendel State University, Ekpoma now Edo State University were I read Religious studies and Philosophy. I did my Youth Service in Abuja between 1990-1991.I then went back to Lagos to build on my comedy career.

WM: At what point did you know you where good in comedy?  

Ali Baba : It was when I was in the University in 1987. I was on stage by accident; there was an event that did not work as planned so I was on stage just to remedy a situation.

WM: People think you are one of the biggest in the comedy industry, what do you think?

Ali Baba: I started comedy in 1987 but got professional in 1990.  I did set out to be called those names but I was doing what I was doing. It is about knowing what you are good at, and throwing everything into it to make sure you do it well. As they say, if you do it well, people will recognize it, and it will encourage others to join you. I make sure my colleagues imbibe that spirit. At this point I will want to remember Muhammed Danjuma who was a fellow front liner who passed away. We all started the stand up/professional comedy together.

WM: What were your challenges at the onset?

Ali Baba : One, was lack of appreciation. The other was low patronage. Again, comedy was a new form of entertainment and people did not know how to value it. And also, there were those who toyed with our fees. They tell you we will pay a little now then pay you the rest later, but you know comedy is not a tangible thing so you cannot hold people to pay. Then, there are those who want to play smart. When you tell them your fee is N30, they will tell you, they want to pay N5. And you tell them, pay 10. But when they go and someone asks them, they will say don’t mind him, he was asking for 100. To make it look like you are the one overpricing yourself. Then we had people undervaluing the service. Somebody tells you, we really did not want comedy; we wanted something by the side.  Also, there are people you do comedy for , and you usually charge, N20, but because the person pleaded  and you decided to do it for 10, then he goes around telling people that it is 10 that you charge. So when you want to negotiate with somebody, they want to start from 10.

WM: Have you had a bad day in comedy?

Ali Baba : Yes, but with experience nobody can tell. Because I have what I call lifesavers that I throw into my performance and people don’t know when you are blank.  Life savers are my very best jokes. People don’t even know, they think the joke is a set up for the next one.

W M: If you were to start all over again, will you do comedy?

Ali Baba: Sure. I don’t have any regrets. Because I figure that whatever I’m doing now, God had ordained.  If tomorrow, God ordained that I should be a pastor, that is exactly what I will do. It is about achieving things that God had laid down for you. Probably, comedy is not what God wants me to do. Maybe after comedy now, he decides that he wants me, to be a pastor, or a motivator or he wants me to go into philanthropy. Depends on what God decides, we just play out his script.

WM: Is any of your children taking after you in comedy?

Ali Baba: If any of them decides to, no problem. But the thing is that I will lay a foundation for them. Good education, proper guidance and counselling, and whatever they decide to do it up to them. But then we will channel them into what we think they are good at.

WM: But has any shown any interest?

Ali Baba: None that I can directly say.  But they are all good.   

WM: How about your wife?

Ali Baba : My wife has a very good sense of humour but she is business woman. And I’m behind  her hundred per cent, because she enjoys what she does.

WM: How do you see the industry in the next few years?

Ali Baba: Right now we are just scratching the surface. In about five years we are going to have very professional and creative comedy.  Now it is in a rudimentary stage , we are still building the industry until when it is in full flight.

WM: Are there any structure you are putting on ground to help upcoming ones?

Ali Baba: Apart from direct tutoring and guiding them in the right part, Opa Willaims has ‘Nite of a thousand laughs’ which is a grooming ground. AY has the ‘Open Mic Nite’ and we meet and rub minds every now and then.

WM: Everyone says you earn the biggest in the industry, is it true?

Ali Baba : Let me correct that . Per show, I probably will earn well, but considering the number of shows those comedians do, we are probably equal. Let’s say a comedian does five shows and he gets paid four 100,000 each, and for the five shows he gets 2million, and I do one and I don’t do any before the end of the month, he earns more than me. But he still believes that I earn more than he does.

WM: Don’t you think you are too selective?

Ali Baba:It get to a stage, like in Law, when you are SAN, you don’t charge the fees of a fresh graduate. So you just set a standard so that you don’t cut into the earning peripherals of the younger comedians because you want them to grow as well.

WM: What would you like to tell your fans?

Ali Baba: That they should be patient with us in the comedy industry. That we are like a budding tree and that very soon, they will begin to enjoy us even more than now.

WM: What exactly will they be seeing?

Ali Baba: That the jokes will be fresher, the material will be funnier, and more spontaneous because more comedians are beginning to come into their own. They are beginning to be more professional.

WM: How can you sell our kind of comedy to the international world?

Ali Baba: It has been sold already in London, America, Holland. The only thing we have not done is that we have not broken into the French speaking countries.  

WM: Is language the barrier?

Ali Baba: Language is not a barrier but it is a passion to speak the language, once you can speak the language, there is no limit.

WM: Do you do any other thing apart from comedy?

Ali Baba: I do comedy only.

WM: How do you get inspiration?

Ali Baba: Inspiration is from God. They other sub inspiration is that you have bills to pay. You know you have responsibility to people like your wife and children. Like they say, whoever cannot take care of his family is worst than an infidel. So you have to make sure that those things are done.