THEWILL DOWNTOWN June 25, 2023

ALI BABA

WhenAtunyota Alleluya Akpobome was asked to appease the audience at a show in his university days, he had no idea it was the beginning of his career as a comedian. It was what you call the perfect description of time and chance, perfectly synergising to start the career of the person we have all come to know as Ali Baba. That day is forever etched in his mind as he went from being a heckler to a comedian. In fact, from then on, he began to do shows that paid him enough to stop taking his allowance from his parents.

Thirty–eight years on, he’s still got it. Read about his journey to fame and his bucket list on pages 8 through 10.

We tend to have different skin concerns without knowing how to handle them. From acne to oily skin, dark circles to uneven skin tone, our beauty page has the right solution to some of the most common skin concerns.

For our Muslim readers, it’s Sallah in a few days, and different types of meat come with it. Since deciding what delicacies to prepare for the family and guests can be overwhelming, we collated four popular recipes just for you and let’s say your guests will love them. See page 6.

In our Downtown Confidential article this week, we share signals to look out for to know when it’s ok to navigate from friendship to a romantic relationship. The décor page suggests ways to personalise your space and its advantages, while our fashion page shows you how to look chic in your workwear.

Our movie review page assesses The Flash, and I must warn you that it wasn’t a very positive review. Our reviewer wasn’t impressed, but as he rightly pointed out, there will be viewers who will have a grand time watching Barry sprint from one corner of the multiverse to the other, and that’s just fine.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

AUSTYN OGANNAH PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa

Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya

Senior Writer: Kehindé Fagbule

Graphic Design: Olaniyan John ‘Blake’

Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun

Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘SunZA’

Dorcas Akintoye

Dorcas Akintoye is a dedicated writer with more than 2 years prolific experience in writing articles ranging from food, entertainment, fashion and beauty.  She has a National Diploma in Mass Communication from Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. She loves writing, listening to music and playing scrabble. She is a highly-skilled, enthusiastic, selfmotivated professional writer.

- Contributing Writer

Onwumere Churchill Ikenna is a writer, poet, digital and social media content strategist. An Afro gen z clan member of kenga media. He is a movie critic who was amongst those who birthed the first movie brand; Feeem house brand. A full fledged member of the writers space Africa, Nigeria district and was part of the editing team of the second anthology issue by the writers space Nigeria.

He has written so many articles, stories and e books. An avid reader and a freelancer. You can check out his literary editing page @coidencreatives on Instagram and twitter.

His personal socials for both Instagram and twitter are : @ikennachurchill

Onwumere Churchill Ikenna

Skin S.O.S

Mastering The Art of Troubleshooting Common Skincare Issues

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

We all must have had the experience of waking up in the morning with the mind of conquering the day, only to be greeted by an uninvited guest on your face - a pimple. Sometimes your face suddenly feels dry and tight, making you wonder if you’ve aged overnight. We all can relate to frustration and helplessness when our skin rebels against us. It’s time to take matters into our own hands and become the masters of our skincare destinies.

Skincare can become overwhelming with its countless products, conflicting advice, and the frustration of trial and error. Do not be afraid; we will assist in simplifying things for you by giving you tips on how to easily navigate the overwhelming world of skincare, providing you with practical solutions that are easy to understand and adapt. You don’t need to have a degree in dermatology to master the art of troubleshooting your skin; you only need two essential things; the proper guidance and the desire to take control.

Be prepared to bid farewell to frustrating skin issues and say hello to a complexion that glows with confidence. Below are the common skincare issues and the strategies to tackle them like a pro.

(3) OIL OVERLOAD

(1) ACNE

Acne has a knack for popping up at the most inconvenient time. Troubleshoot acne by cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser twice daily to remove dirt and oil buildup. Target those pesky pimples by incorporating salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide into your routine.

(2) DRYNESS DILEMMA

It’s time to amp up the hydration game if your skin feels tight and parched— troubleshoot dryness by hydrating from the inside out with plenty of water. A moisturiser with nourishing ingredients like ceramics or hyaluronic acid can help give your skin the hydration it needs. Remember to turn down the temperature on your hot shower as it can drain your skin of its essential oils.

You can troubleshoot excess oiliness on your face by incorporating a gentle cleanser that won’t strip your skin. Go for a lightweight, oil-free moisturiser and use blotting papers throughout the day to control shine. Do not make the mistake of overcleansing, as it can trigger your skin to produce even more oil.

(4) DARK CIRCLES

You can troubleshoot dark circles by getting enough beauty sleep and staying hydrated. Use a brightening eye cream with ingredients like vitamin C or retinol. A good concealer can also work wonders for your dark circles.

(5) UNEVEN SKIN TONE

Uneven skin tone can leave you feeling uncomfortable. Troubleshoot uneven skin tone by exfoliating regularly to remove dead skin cells and reveal a more even complexion. Go for products with ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, or AHAs. Always use sunscreen when going under the sun, as it helps prevent further discolouration.

(6) PORE PREDICAMENT

Enlarged pores can be a frustrating issue. You can troubleshoot this issue by incorporating a gentle exfoliator into your routine to remove dead skin cells while keeping your pores clear. Go for products with ingredients like salicylic acid or alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).

(7) REDNESS RELIEF

If you are the type that is struggling with redness or sensitivity, skincare products formulated for sensitive skin should be your go-to. To calm and reduce redness, use products with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, and green tea.

(8) SUNBURN SOS

Sunburn can be both painful and damaging to your skin. Soothe your skin with aloe vera gel, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and apply a gentle moisturiser to speed up the healing process.

Sallah Meat

4 Different Ways to Prepare Your Meat

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

It is that time of the year again when Nigerians are collectively happy for the same cause. It doesn’t even matter what you believe in, the Eid el-Kabir celebration is one that generally brings good tidings amongst Nigerians. For Muslims, it is a time to make merry, an occasion that requires them to sacrifice an animal, usually a ram, cow, or camel, to commemorate Prophet Abraham’s great act of genuine submission to the will of God. For Christians, the idea of having two days off during the weekday sounds like temporary heaven. A common denominator, however, is the savoury expectation of meat. This Sallah, you can prepare your ram or cow meat differently. Here are four ways to thrill your guests with this year’s Sallah meat.

• Barbecue (Grilled Ram Meat)

COOKING TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

Grilling meat is a nutritious method of preparation. It entails marinating the meat in flavorful ingredients, slicing it thinly, and placing it directly on high heat. Grilling effectively removes excess fat from the meat, resulting in a healthier dish. To add an extra touch of excitement, you can also opt to skewer the meat and create delicious kebabs.

INGREDIENTS

• Ram meat

• Barbecue sauce

• Yaji (suya pepper)

• Honey

• Minced garlic

Peppered Fried Meat

COOKING TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

Popularly known as asun, peppered fried meat is one of the most loved snacks in Nigeria.

INGREDIENTS

• Ram meat

• Red Bell Peppers/ Tatashe or Shombo

• Green peppers

• Black pepper

• Onions

• Scotch Bonnet (Atarodo)

• Vegetable Oil

• Seasoning Cubes

• Beef seasoning of your choice

• Curry

• Thyme

• Ginger

• Garlic cloves Minced

• Salt to taste

• Assorted Meat Peppersoup

COOKING TIME: 30-40 minutes

DIRECTIONS Once you have marinated your meat in foil for 30-45 minutes, carefully position it on the grill while still wrapped in the foil. Allow it to cook for approximately 15 minutes. Subsequently, unwrap the foil and generously apply additional marinade onto the meat. Place it directly on the grill once again, cooking for an additional 10 minutes on each side.

Pepper soup is a delicacy that indicates celebration in Nigeria. Utilize the ram head and legs to prepare a flavorful peppersoup. Begin by scraping and thoroughly washing the ram head, then proceed to cut it into essential pieces.

INGREDIENTS

• 500 – 700g of assorted meats comprising: Goat meat, Beef, Saki, Pomo, Kidney, Liver, Heart, Lung and Cow leg

• Ginger

• Lamb

• Fresh or dried scent leaf/nchawu

• Fresh Basil

• 2 or more cooking spoons of ground pepper soup spices

• 2 Red onions (chopped)

• 5 – 7 pieces of Ata rodo (pepper)

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

salt and seasoning cubes. Let this boil under high heat till the offals are cooked.

Once the offals are cooked, pour the contents into a sieve to drain off the stock. Check on the meats, which should be boiling at this time. Add the offals into the pot and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Then add more ground pepper. Lower the heat and let it cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. This is to allow the meats to season properly.

DIRECTIONS

Begin by thoroughly washing the meat, then proceed to boil it for approximately 20-30 minutes. Add salt, thyme, seasoning cubes, beef seasoning, onions, and black pepper to enhance the flavours. Meanwhile, chop the peppers or lightly blend them. Once the meat is boiled, immerse it in hot oil and deep fry until it reaches a succulent state. Heat some oil in another pan and sauté onions and garlic before introducing the pepper mixture. Incorporate seasoning cubes, curry, and salt, adjusting them according to your desired taste.

Finally, add the fried meat to the mixture and stir it well. Allow it to simmer over low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes.

• Dry ginger powder

• Dry/fresh rosemary

• Paprika

• Cayenne pepper

• Stock cubes

• Salt to taste

Dambu Nama

COOKING TIME: 30-40 minutes

Dambu nama is a delectable dried beef floss from Northern Nigeria that is peppery and savoury. The dried, shredded ram floss can be put inside bread, sprinkled over rice, or consumed as a snack. Additionally, it pairs well with masa. But planning takes a lot of time.

INGREDIENTS

• Ram meat

• Seasoning cubes

• Chilli powder

• Onion

• Garlic

• Yaji (suya spice)

• Vegetable oil

• Ginger powder

Cut all the meats into bitesized pieces and separate the offals into a different pot. Blend all the ata rodo (scotch bonnet/habanero), onions and ginger, then add to the pot. In the pot containing the offals, chop half of the red onion and add to the pot. Then, add

DIRECTIONS

While the pot is simmering on low heat, chop finely the handful of scent leaf and basil. Then add the olive oil to the mixture to give the soup some sheen. Once simmering is done, increase the heat and add hot water to the pot, stir, let it boil for 2 minutes and taste. If the spices are still too strong, add water again, wait for two minutes and taste. Repeat this process until you get to a taste level that you like. Re-season with salt and seasoning cubes to taste. Add the chopped vegetables and stir to combine, till the vegetables turn a dark green colour.

Simmer the ram meat together with the spices and onions until it reaches a state of extreme tenderness, where it easily falls apart. Ensure that the flavour is perfectly balanced. Next, you have the option to shred the meat by continuously turning it, pounding it, or using a mallet or rolling pin on a chopping board. Once shredded, incorporate additional spices such as yaji, seasoning cubes, garlic, and ginger. Heat a generous amount of oil in a large pan and proceed to shallow fry the meat. It may be necessary to do this in multiple batches, and the frying process typically takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Achieving the ideal texture for the ‘dambu’ is of utmost importance.

When the oil is insufficiently heated, the shreds tend to absorb a significant amount, resulting in a greasy outcome. Conversely, if the oil is excessively hot, the meat will turn dry and crispy instead of being tender and chewy. It is advisable to experiment with a few small batches to determine the desired texture and flavour that suits your preference.

Turn Into a FRIENDSHIP

Can a ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP?

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

RECOGNISING MUTUAL FEELINGS

Theword “friend zone” has become a well-known term in modern relationships. The friend zone is seen as a frustrating purgatory for individuals who desire something more profound than friendship. It’s a situation where an individual develops romantic feelings for a close friend, only to find themselves hooked in a platonic bond without any hope of transitioning into a romantic relationship. The friend zone is a complicated and emotionally charged territory that raises an intriguing question: Can a friendship evolve into a romantic relationship?

Many people have spent time thinking about the possibility of escaping the friend zone, and many believe that a strong foundation of friendship could serve as a firm launching pad to start something more profound. After all, the essential components of friendship and romantic partnerships include shared interests, emotional intimacy, and a deep understanding of each other. However, in navigating this delicate transition, you need to make careful considerations, and most importantly, there must be a mutual willingness to explore new depths of connection.

In this article, we will unravel the mysteries of the friend zone and discover whether it has the potential to evolve into a romantic relationship.

THE FOUNDATION OF FRIENDSHIP

A friendship forms the bedrock of any relationship, providing a concrete basis for trust, understanding, and compatibility. A friendship already has what it takes to build a successful romantic relationship. Deep emotional connections, shared interests, and a history of support can help in paving more way for a beautiful transformation.

TIME AND TIMING

In navigating the friend zone, timing plays a pivotal role. It can be dangerous to rush into a romantic relationship without allowing the friendship to mature. You need to be patient because friendship bonds need time to evolve naturally. Observing their subtle cues and signals will enable you to gauge when the timing is suitable for a transition.

THE ART OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is vital in unlocking the potential for romance within a friendship. Honest and open conversations about feelings and desires can bridge the gap between friends and lovers. When approaching these conversations, it’s important to approach them with care and respect, acknowledging the risk involved and being prepared for any outcome.

Most friendships contain unspoken emotions and desires hidden beneath the surface, so you need to be very perceptive and attuned to the potential signs of mutual attraction.

You can denote a deeper connection by subtle gestures, prolonged eye contact, or a certain tenderness in action. If both friends share these feelings, acknowledging them will go a long way in transforming the relationship.

NAVIGATING REJECTION

Attempting to shift a friendship into a romantic realm carries a lot of things, including rejection, which is why you need to approach the situation with grace and understanding. That they rejected your feelings doesn’t mean you should let the friendship bond you share wash down the drain. Instead, see that rejection as an opportunity for growth. Both parties can work together to restore the equilibrium and continue their friendship with renewed clarity and respect.

The friend zone may be a tricky maze to explore, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle. A friendship can transform into a romantic relationship by building a solid foundation of friendship, fostering effective communication, respecting the element of time and timing, recognising mutual feelings, and gracefully handling rejection. However, remember that not all friendships are meant to evolve this way. Above all, it’s essential to value and cherish the friendship, whether it remains platonic or flourishes into something more. The goal is to approach the journey with authenticity, patience, and a willingness to embrace whatever destiny has in store.

BY

KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

ALI BABA

BEING FUNNY IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

lady from the Congo. Don’t forget; at the time, makossa movie was in vogue. This lady came on stage to do the striptease, and it was the first time many of us saw a striptease. She came on, took off her clothes, and by the time she got to the underwear, students ran on stage. She got scared and ran off. So they turned to me and said, “Okay, we know you’ve been doing some heckling. Can you come and pacify everyone and make them sit still so that we can continue the show?” That was how I got on stage and managed to get the show back on. By the end of that semester, hardly would a show be held in school that I wasn’t a part of. So I started doing research into standup comedy, looking for jokes everywhere. I would look for jokes in Ikebe Super, in cartoons, Pa Johnson, Dauda, and then I stumbled on Readers Digest, and it became my go-to for jokes. So I would go to Readers Digest, get some jokes, localise the jokes, and start building on my sense of humour; it was raw, so I needed to develop it. By 1988 and ’89, I was touring campuses.

At the same time, you were studying law… I was supposed to change to law. I was doing Religious Studies and Philosophy. All the time that I was touring campuses, I was making so much money, more than I was earning in monthly allowance from my dad, so there was no need to collect that anymore. My allowance was 100 Naira monthly, and I could make 200 to 300 Naira per event. And if I do three to four events in a month, I could make seven times whatever my dad was giving me. My dad eventually wanted me to get my transfer to law, but I was already comfortable doing comedy. And if you became a lawyer, you were not allowed to practise comedy, so I decided that there was no need to change to law. I stuck with standup comedy with a plan to do law after I finished my first degree, but the money (I was making) was too much. This is why my autobiography is titled From Wigs to Wits.

Humour

is one of the prevalent elements of our social interactions. No matter the mood or emotions, good humour has been prescribed as not just a psychological band-aid that helps ease human interactions but also a tool for social change. But before the commercialisation of the funny business here in Nigeria, before you could go on the internet and spend practically a lifetime consuming comedy in pint-sized clips, there was a time when standup comedy as an art form was not a mainstream segment of the entertainment industry. At the time when traditional musicians were invited alongside their band members to play their well-composed choruses at functions, when stage actors thrilled thespians acting out well-written plays, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, widely known as Ali Baba, a professional heckler, began to map out the professional pathway for comedy, laying the foundation of the art of telling jokes to crowds as a service worthy of building a career on.

Thirty-eight years later, the veteran, regarded nationwide as the godfather of Nigerian standup comedy, spoke to DOWNTOWN’s Kehindé Fagbule in the comfort of his office, sharing his experiences creating a food chain and climbing right to the top of it. His unrivalled sense of humour was evident throughout the lengthy conversation as the recently-turned 58-year-old veteran discussed everything from touring campuses in the late ’80s to maintaining his status quo as one of the biggest voices in Nigerian entertainment’s history.

Some people may say you pioneered standup comedy in Nigeria. Can you share the story of how you got started in comedy? What inspired you to pursue a career in making people laugh?

It will look like I pioneered, but I think it would be appropriate if you said I give it some leverage because you could count people who were comedians, maybe not standup comedians. At the time between 1983 and 1985, Bendel Radio had people like Jude Ewewe, Patrick Doyle, Bisi Olatilo, and John Chukwu. Although they practised comedy, they were not full-fledged standup comedians. With time, when I came on the scene, I discovered that I needed to map out the real standup dynamics to practice just like Eddie Murphy and the likes. So I would say it was the application of what I was doing that then became different from what they were doing before I came on the scene.

What was your first-ever performance?

My first performance was in 1987, and it was by accident, actually. I was a professional heckler, so when events were going on, you know how you’ll have the noisemakers section where students would make noise during events; that was where I was. There was a striptease in school, a

You did comedy at a time when there weren’t clear examples to follow. How did you map out a career in standup comedy for yourself? Occupational dynamics change. There was a time when everyone wanted to be a lawyer, accountant, doctor, engineer, or banker. Those were the five professions that were the signposts for many parents. When I told my dad I wanted to become a comedian, he had a good laugh and said, “Truly, you are really a comedian.” In hindsight, I understood where my parents were coming from because many parents at the time wanted to quickly set their children up in a way that when they retired, the children won’t become their responsibility. I didn’t see that at the time; I just saw it as they wanting me to be who they wanted me to be. Déjà vu, my son, many years later, came to tell me he wanted to become a DJ, and I was like, “DJ what? No, you can’t be a DJ; you have to finish your course.”

Comedy, over the years, has been at the forefront of social commentary, a powerful tool for addressing social issues. When you first started, at what point did it resonate with you that you could use your platform to speak to real-life issues?

Every University community is a small Nigeria in that you have a collection of everybody from different aspects, backgrounds, ethnic groups, languages, orientations, upbringings,

everybody comes together in the university community. Within that space, I discovered the social-political boxes you need to tick. Remember that they organise elections too in school, there are also commercial activities, buying and trading of hostel accommodation; there’s religion as well with churches and mosques. By the way, Chris Oyakhilome started from my school; he was my next-door neighbour in school when he started Believers Love World. When I started standup comedy back then, chances were that because of how the small Nigerian communities in universities accepted it, it would be accepted outside as well. When we were in school, I would talk about the student union officers, bus drivers, girls and relationships, how guys are behaving, even nocturnal guys, how people run out of cash, the well-to-do children and ones that weren’t well-to-do. Comedy as a tool for social commentary hit me as a student, and I took it on. Gradually you will notice that in many years to come, in most of my performances, I would reflect something about society, something relatable. So the relatability of the things said in my jokes is just to have them mirror society. There’s a formal saying that if you want to tell people the truth, you make them laugh; while they are laughing, you stick it down their throats. That’s what I did. You’ve been around for 38 years, been a part of the industry since inception, and have seen comedians come and go. What do you think was the one thing you did that has kept your dominance of the industry to date?

I think it’s the fact that I still see myself as an underdog. The fact that I don’t think that I’ve arrived. When it’s time for the cheetah to run, he will still run. He won’t say because he’s the fastest animal, meat should be brought to him; he still goes hunting. I took that on. Standup comedy is dynamic; you are as funny as your last joke. If you want to remain relevant in society, you have to continuously hone your skills, exhibit your abilities and promote your creativity in any way that you can. So I became dynamic. Wherever the platforms are, where the conversations are had, or where people migrated to get their doses of information and laughter, I was there. When it was Facebook, I was there, MySpace, I was there. When Instagram and Twitter came, I was there as well. You’d have to agree that standup comedy is not like being a lawyer or doctor that after a particular age, you’ll have to retire. As long as you can still tell a funny joke, you can still be a standup comedian. People tell me, “Oh, you’ve been in the game for so long.” I think you can be in the game for 10 years and make more impact than someone who’s been there for 35 years. But I must say that the time that it took us to grow and become recognised has reduced compared to today. If people consider the fact that times have moved on, we will then begin to see that the number of comedians you’re seeing now is growing because the hard work has been done. Technology, new awareness and initiatives have

also helped the growth to push the art. There are people who have become even more popular than I am because social media platforms and every other media that could help their career grow were there for them, something we didn’t have at the time.

How did the framework to make comedy professional begin?

The first step I took towards making comedy seen as a professional service was the fact that in 1993/94, I took billboards across Victoria Island. What did I write on the billboards? “Being funny is serious business,” and I put my pager number on it. Those billboards cost me 200,000 to 300,000 naira at the time. It was a lot of money, but in 1995, I made my first million as a standup comedian when I worked for Satzenbrau Guinness. They got me to tour the whole of Nigeria, and when that was done, my cheque came up to about 1.7 million naira, and my fees increased. Many changes at the time helped trigger the growth of standup comedy generally. One such was that I had portrayed and pushed standup comedy as a service, not an art form. As a service meant that it was something that you needed to add value to whatever you were doing. As an art form is something you just appreciate from a distance. For instance, if you know how to sing, you can sing in the church, in the bathroom or amongst your friends, it’s a hobby, and you’re just enjoying yourself. But when you make it something that somebody wants to pay to watch, buy, download, and use as a soundtrack for a movie, it becomes a service. Until you make anything you have as a skill a service that somebody requires to complete a business process, it’s unprofessional. So I managed to push it through and get standup comedy to be accepted. There were a lot of sacrifices; I was going to events to perform for free. I would go to corporate events and tell them, “I understand you are having an annual dinner event. Can I have five minutes please?” And they would ask what I did, I’d tell them standup comedy, and I would perform for five minutes and leave. I was performing in boardrooms and on planes. When I started doing standup, we had people who were already in entertainment and started doing standup comedy. We had a name like Muhammed Danjuma, Alarm Blow, OAU, Omar Omar, Basorge Tariah Jr., Okey Bakassi. With time, we had the likes of Gandoki, who came and joined us, seeing that the business was booming. It caught on like wildfire because, after about a year of pushing the envelope, people saw that this business could be lucrative. But there were many naysayers who did not think that there was money in the business. We just needed people to first of all, understand the value proposition that standup comedy brought to their events and engagements. So we went on radio and TV, and our popularity grew. The corporate side was the one that actually offered the biggest payouts. Corporate billing brought a lot more money, and a lot more serious minds, and the people with deep pockets are in that space as well. For individuals, a lot of them weren’t still sure if they would pay. While they were still fighting to pay 10,000 naira, there was a corporate body that was already paying between 50,000 and 60,000

naira. And many people did not know that we are making that kind of money.

The comedy industry has taken a different form. We talked about how comedy is a powerful tool for social commentary, and in today’s world, we have political correctness standing in the way of how stories are told.

Was it something you had to navigate through your career?  Political correctness is something that you cannot dance around. You either hit it head-on, it consumes you, or you float over it. What was happening most times is I learnt early enough to be discerning early enough to know how to walk the thin line between being funny and being offensive, and the golden rule is to not offend someone you’re going to be performing to. If you know that the performance is not a one-off and expect to perform there over and again, you need to walk that thin line then. Over the years, I’ve walked that line well. Having worked that line well, I now know how to navigate it. Audience reading is a very vital part of a comic’s performance. You can’t just climb on stage and grab the mic; you have to read the audience and gauge what constitutes them; are they lawyers, bankers, elitists, or a bunch of critics? All of that goes into your head as you’re providing the entertainment. So you are multitasking, as it were, knowing who and who not to tell jokes about, knowing what not to say to offend anybody, and just making sure that all you’re there for is laughter without being offensive. So as you do that over the years, many other younger comedians are watching and seeing how you do it and learning from you. The bottom line of all of these is that you still want to remain in business. You also want to make sure that every time you perform, the performance you make at that show recommends you for another one. This is why I don’t do dirty jokes. Every dirty joke steals about 30 to 40 percent of your audience because there’s someone in that audience who will be like, “I don’t want this guy telling these jokes at my event.” I learnt not to speak vulgarly even though I am one of the people that know more dirty jokes than most, but you will not find me telling them.

How difficult is that?

It’s not difficult because most times the people who run into dirty jokes are people who don’t have original clean jokes to tell, so dirty jokes are low-hanging fruits. They are funny, but every time you tell them, the people who laugh at them are people who don’t mind being vulgar in public. It’s just like swear words; if they are so good, why don’t you use them in prayers?

Talking about the consumption of comedy today, more people now consume comedy from the comfort of their homes and that has shaped the new generation of comedians who now identify as skit makers, putting us in an age where we have more skit makers than standup comedians. Do you think it’s an easy way out? It’s a difficult art form as well. Making skits is like an e-monologue, like stage acting. Acting on stage has its place in entertainment, just like acting on TV and radio. There are different ways that you can interpret an art form. Anybody that draws can paint anything, but a cartoonist adds humour to his paintings. A standup comedian is a funny person, but when you act it out, you are actor-

“When I told my dad I wanted to become a comedian, he had a good laugh and said, ‘Truly, you are really a comedian.’”

comic. Many skit makers are actors with a great sense of humour. Some of them are standup comedians. It’s like when you find somebody who is an MC, and the person has a great sense of humour; he becomes a better MC. But you see, there are times that humour is not needed to be an MC, especially in a strictly formal corporate event. A skit maker is someone who uses his sense of humour to create something that you can watch on a device. It doesn’t stop you from being a comedian; it’s just a platform for executing the art form.

Don’t you believe they are running standup comedians out of the market?

Many of the guys that do standup are still doing their standup and have started doing skits. A lot of people who are doing skits have become so popular they are coming to do standups and even MCs as well. So there’s a fluidity of creativity, and it is based on how well you can blend either as a skit maker or as an actor. Macaroni is an actor that started making skits; he chose a way to express himself better. The same thing goes for MC Lively, Mr Funny (Sabinus) and so on. It is a different platform and ways they use to push their sense of humour that differs, but it’s still the same. You have to be dynamic; standup comedy is dynamic. When I came on the scene, some people were okay with slapstick. When I came on, I felt there was a way to do it differently, and I did mine differently. So skit makers are also doing it differently, and it doesn’t stop them from being comedians.

What would you say your comedy style is?

It’s fluid because today, I could do comedy

of comparisons; tomorrow, I could do comedy of insults; another time, I could do tribal comedy. I could also do slapstick, depending on what I want to talk about. I could do mimicry and impressions, depending on who I want to talk about. The time and situation will determine what I apply.

Outside of comedy, we’ve seen you in a handful of movies, heard you on the radio, MC national events, and so on. What are some other things that you’ve been up to from comedy?

From comedy, I have gone into show promotion; I organise the January 1st concerts. I have gone into empowerment, scriptwriting, songwriting, writing copies for adverts, and writing scripts and speeches. I have also gone into ideas generation. Comedy has opened a lot of doors for me. I have a TV licence, Excusé Moi TV. I have also fulfilled a lot of things on my bucket list, and my bucket list is really long. I’ve written a book, helped to groom a lot of young standup comedians, toured, and done a standup performance for six hours. Standup comedy has opened a lot of doors for me. And like I tell people, if my career is to be weighed in percentages, I think I have done about 40 percent and still have another 60 to go. How do you source materials? How do you find inspiration? First, newspapers are a very lucrative source to get stories. People-watching and observations are also another way. Having conversations with like minds, and watching movies, our politicians are also good sources of materials. I source from personal experiences as well. I also believe that anytime you watch a movie, you should be able to make about three jokes out of it.

Are there some trends that you find exciting or concerning?

The fact that we are even on Netflix, I’m happy. You know the saying, ‘If you want to know more about a people, listen to their standup.’ There are some people who may not know anything about America, but when they watch some movies, it gives them an insight into what America is like. Same thing with standup comedy. The things that people laugh about speak volumes about them. I believe that comedy has a way of fulfilling several roles, and we just apply that.

You mentioned that you had achieved 40 percent and still have another 60 to go. Share with us what is left to accomplish.

We still need a purpose-built comedy club. Our guys are doing very well in this circumstance, but the cost of building a comedy club will not be equal to how much return on investment we will get. But we are getting there, which is why I believe that our presence on Netflix and Prime all point to the fact that there is a need for us to have spaces purposely built for comedy. You go overseas and see Laugh Factory and other comedy clubs; we need to have something like that in Nigeria. When I said there is a lot that still needs to be accomplished, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have a comedy channel on TV that curates all comedy content and put it out. Many people are using YouTube to propagate their content, but why should there be a TV channel dedicated to news, music, music, sports, fashion and everything else but comedy? So there is a lot more work that we need to do. Beyond that, I started a spontaneity contest, the holy grail of standup comedy, and in the last seven years, I’ve given out eight cars. Once you can be on the fly as a spontaneous comedian, there is no end to your comedic abilities. I have a lot of things that I’m working on; I have two or three books that I have to write that will help anyone coming into the comedy space find their way around.

I also believe I need to do a lot more for female

comedians.

The number is dwindling; not many people are stepping into that space, so we want to see how we can trigger a search process so that we can encourage them to come and fill that vacuum. Women are funny; the question is, do you accept their creativity? A lot of people are concerned that women should not talk so freely. It is important for us to weigh those pros and cons, and the pros are that younger female comedians are needed in the space.

In conclusion, I would say that the reason many female comedians have not been up to it is that it’s a very brutal space. Standup comedy is one of the most difficult art forms in the sense that a musician can perform three to five songs, and two weeks later, somebody will be like, “I really did enjoy that band.” But with a standup comedian, it is instant, and somebody will be like, “he’s not funny.” A musician can repeat a particular song multiple times at the same event, and people will still enjoy it each time. As a comedian, however, you cannot repeat a joke at the same event. Even if you tell a joke you’ve told before at another event, some people who have heard it before will not be impressed. And this is why you hear comedians take offence at people who take their jokes and don’t give credit.

How have you dealt with that in the past, people who steal your jokes? Do you ever copyright your jokes? No, but soon I will begin to, which is one of the reasons I did the six hours performance at the time. Many people were saying he’s not performing anymore; he’s not funny anymore. My argument is always that if I were a zero-ranked police officer on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and I checked your particulars every time, and you then know me by my tribal marks, assuming I have some. If two or three years go by and I’m still on that road, it means I’ve not grown. But if you pass the road and don’t see me, ask about me, and they tell you I am no longer on the road and now a commissioner of police, that’s growth. It would be the same if I were a banker, upgraded from the entry-level position working in the bulk room, counting all the dirty, smelly notes, to the teller position in the banking hall, and then ultimately to an executive director in the headquarter. That’s how people grow. But people still expect you to remain where you were. Many people have told me, ‘Oh, I don’t see your performance anymore; you’re not a comedian anymore.’ And I’m like, “Where did you not see me?” Did Aliko or Femi (Dangote and Otedola) have a party and invite you? No. But they’ve invited me, and I’ve been to those spaces and performed there. Everybody thinks that you should still be on stage. John Momoh owns Channels TV, and he doesn’t read the news. You have people who grew up the ranks and got to a particular stage, and they begin to enjoy the hard work that they’ve put in.

We are working on some really major things that will change the comedy space.

“Until you make anything you have as a skill a service that somebody requires to complete a business process, it’s unprofessional.”

Personalising Your Space to Reflect Your Personality

BY DORCAS AKINTOYE

Personalising your space involves adding elements and touches to a room or area that deflects your personality, interests, and style, enabling you to feel more comfortable in your space while allowing you to express yourself.

Personalising your home decor can be done in diverse ways, including decorating your room with your favourite colours, adding artwork or photographs that you find intriguing, embracing furniture or decorated items that reflect your style, and organising your belongings in a way that fits your needs and preferences, among others.

(1) Expressing Yourself

Personalising your home decor allows you to express your personality and style without uttering a word and feel more comfortable in your space. It’s a way of showcasing your individuality and creativity to the world.

(3) Making Your Home Unique

By personalising your space, you can create an area that is truly unique to you. It’s another way of making your home stand out from others.

(4) Creating A Sense of Belonging

One sure way to create a sense of belonging in your space is by mixing several items that showcase your interests and passion. Doing that makes you feel more connected to your home and, most importantly, to the things that matter to you.

(6) Reflect on Your Values And Beliefs

Personalising your space allows you to reflect on your values and beliefs easily. Adding meaningful elements to your home decor helps create a space that aligns with your values and priorities.

(2) Boosting Your Mood

Items that you love can have a positive impact on your mood, not just any item but items that you love. By incorporating them into your space, you can create an environment that uplifts and inspires you.

(5) Inspiring Creativity And Productivity

You can boost your creativity and productivity by surrounding yourself with inspiring items. Personalising your home decor helps create a space that energises and motivates you.

(7) Helping to Build a Sense of Identity and Self-Awareness

You can explore your identity and interests by personalising your home decor. Trying to reflect on meaningful items, including why they are meaningful to you, goes a long way in deepening your self-awareness and a sense of purpose.

(1) INVEST IN QUALITY BASICS

One of the keys to any great wardrobe is a strong foundation, which is why you need to invest in high-quality basics, including tailored blazers, trousers, and pencil skirts. These pieces will go a long way in forming the building blocks of your work wardrobe, and they will last for years if you can take care of them properly.

Corporate Chic

HOW TO LOOK PROFESSIONAL AND FASHION-FORWARD AT WORK BY

DORCAS AKINTOYE

In today’s world, dressing professionally does not only revolve around looking polished and put together but about making a unique statement. It is about sticking to a dress code and showcasing your unique style and personality. In other words, your wardrobe choices must speak volume about your professionalism, confidence, and personal brand.

This is where the concept of corporate chic comes in; being able to strike the right balance between fashion and professionalism in the workplace is what corporate chic is all about. Corporate chic is all about creating an individualistic personal look that exudes confidence and authority without compromising on style and personal flair.

2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLOURS

People can get to know about your kind of personality and your level of professionalism with the type of colours you wear. Stick to classic neutrals like black, navy, and grey. You can also add pops of colour with accessories.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned professional or a fresh graduate entering the workforce; it’s never too late to master the art of corporate chic. If you don’t know, a well-put-together wardrobe can boost your confidence and help you stand out in a crowded room, leaving a lasting impression on your colleagues and superiors.

If you want to elevate your professional style, you must embrace the world of corporate chic. To help you master the art of dressing this way, we’ve put together some steps to help you look fashion-forward and professional in the workplace.

(3) ACCESSORIZE THOUGHTFULLY

You must be able to choose your accessories carefully because they can make or break an outfit. A statement necklace or earrings can add personality to a simple outfit, while a structured bag or pair of shoes can give a more professional edge.

(4) DO NOT BE SCARED TO MIX AND MATCH

Mixing and matching is one of the great ways to create a range of outfits from a smaller wardrobe. To find the perfect balance between professional and stylish, play around with different tops, bottoms, and accessories combinations.

(5) TEXTURESEMBRACEAND PRINTS

It’s okay to incorporate textures and prints into your work wardrobe. A subtle print or a textured fabric can add some statement to an otherwise simple outfit while maintaining a professional appearance.

(8) KNOW YOUR OFFICE DRESSES CODE

Even if corporate chic is about your style, you must adhere to your company’s dress code. Ensure you know the rules, then work within them to create a stylish and professional look.

(6) PAY ATTENTION TO FIT

In looking professional and put together, a proper fit is essential. Ensure your attire fits you perfectly and is tailored to your body type rather than buying off-the-rack.

(9) DON’TFORGET ABOUT GROOMING

There are so many ways to look professional and polished. It is not just about what you wear. Ensure your hair, makeup, and nails are well-groomed and professionallooking to complete your overall experience.

FASHION

(7) EXPERIMENT WITH LAYERING

Layering is one of the unique ways to add interest to your outfit and to transition between seasons. Try layering a blazer over a blouse or a sweater over a collared shirt for a sophisticated and chic look.

(10) BE CONFIDENT

Confidence is the most crucial element of corporate chic. Wear what makes you feel great, and don’t be scared to own your style. You can rock any office environment with the right attitude and a great wardrobe.

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

The Lagos Leather Fair 2023

Cocktail Evening

The Lagos Leather Fair 2023 began with a glamorous cocktail event attended by key stakeholders, influencers, and the media. The event featured live music, a captivating spoken word performance by Ms. Kemi Adedipe, and opportunities for networking and collaboration in the leather industry. The convener, Mrs. Femi Olayebi, also provided a private tour of the exhibition area, allowing attendees to preview the fair and make early purchases from exhibitor stands.

The cocktail event, hosted by Ms. Ronke Giwa, included remarks from sponsors, emphasizing their support for the fair and the Nigerian leather sector. The fair, held on June 17th and 18th at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Victoria Island, featured various activities such as conversations, social media and marketing presentations, workshops for aspiring designers, and presentations by established leather brands who showcased their latest collections.

Overall, the cocktail event set the tone for another successful Lagos Leather Fair, offering entertainment, valuable insights, and a chance for industry professionals to connect and collaborate.

Musical Rendition

Abimbola Azeh, Gill Mason Quarcoopome & Olufunke Jones

Sola Oyebade, DeRemi Atanda & Kola Kuddus

Kibonen Nfi (left) with friends

Femi Olayebi & Prof Wole Soyinka

Guests at The Cocktail Opening Event

Guests at The Cocktail

Bag Showcase

Gill Mason Quarcoopome (left)

Femi Olayebi Adeolu Adewunmi (Left)

Clourful Leather Display

Leather Bags on Display

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

ZARON INTRODUCES HER NEW ADDITION TO THE PLUSH RANGE: EYEZ MATTAZZ

Africa’s fastest growing beauty brand, Zaron Cosmetics, officially introduced Eyez Mattazz, her brand new collection, at a launch party hosted on at her head office in Ikoyi.

The new collection includes Axe Liquid Eyeliner, Smoke Gel Eyeliner, and Fleek Brow Pencil.

The event welcomed a wide mix of Zaron fans, makeup enthusiasts, makeup artists and influencers who experienced a first hand live demonstration of the products. The guests also got personalised tips and tricks shared by Zaron makeup artists to help them achieve soft to edgy looks using the new additions. The guests were treated to cocktails and deliscious meals.

Angel Anosike(Right)

Nicole Chikwe, Ozinna Anumudu

Yetunde Ebifemi

Ezinne Alpha, Mary-Jane Ohobu & Omolade Olatawura

Ogechi Okunu

Mary Colette (Right)

Priscillia Eunice (Middle) & Kaylah Oniwo (Far Right)

Tito Lifestyle

Omoregie Precious

Angel Obasi

MOVIE REVIEW:

The Flash

The Flash is aggressively okay.

Like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home, this is another live-action superhero tale set in the big, bad multiverse, only this time, we’re in DC’s multiverse, not Marvel’s. Like those two films before it, this one allows characters from different cinematic eras to interact. In this case, the primary crossover involves Zack Snyder’s Justice League realm and Tim Burton’s Batman epics, with a brandnew iteration of Supergirl thrown in for good measure.

This is a narratively messy motion picture whose various elements feel inorganically cobbled together to the best of the screenwriters’ abilities. For all this bloated endeavour’s missteps, thankfully, genuine human emotion is not sacrificed. That makes this discombobulated flick far easier to watch, even to enjoy, than it likely would have been otherwise.

Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), aka the Flash, has realised something. In a heart-to-heart with friend and mentor Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), Gotham City’s one and only Batman and leader of the Justice League, they reveal that they have the ability to travel through time. This means Barry could theoretically change things. They could save their mother, Nora (Maribel Verdú), from being murdered. They could stop their father, Henry (Ron Livingston), from being erroneously convicted of the crime. They could even save Bruce’s parents if he so desired. The possibilities are endless.

Bruce urges Barry to leave the time continuum alone. Too many horrible unknowns could transpire if even only the smallest change were made, but the youngster refuses to listen. Barry enters the “Speed Force” and successfully saves his mother’s life, and initially, all goes perfectly. But Bruce was right. This one change has disastrous consequences, and the fate of the entire multiverse hinges on what Barry does next.

Strangely, the moral conundrum at the centre of The Flash is similar to what Miles Morales faces in the recently released Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse. This comparison does not do The Flash any favours, especially considering both films are of comparable length.

But where Across the Spider-Verse does a spellbinding job of building out its characters and crafting an electrifyingly alive

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA

three-dimensional world, The Flash deals in vague generalisations, audience fan service, and familiar plot contrivances. I’ll take bets director Andy Muschietti, and his creative team hope no one notices.

The good news is that the film’s primary nostalgia play comes extremely close to paying off. For the first time since 1992’s Batman Returns, Michael Keaton returns to the role of the Dark Knight, and he’s not content to phone things in. Even when forced to spout a pair of signature lines from his first go-around as the Caped Crusader, the Academy Award-nominated actor somehow makes the most of them. Keaton is having a maniacal blast, and his enthusiasm is infectious. It’s a shame that practically half of this adventure’s 144-minute running time has elapsed before he finally shows up.

Another positive is the arrival of newcomer Sasha Calle. She’s Kara, otherwise known as Supergirl. In this new universe, she was sent to protect Kal-El, only to be captured by the Russians and encased in a lead prison deep underground and far away from the Sun’s rejuvenating rays. Calle is ferocious and dominates every scene she appears in. There is a mesmerising vitality to her performance, and, as with Keaton, I wanted more of her and her character than the film was willing to give me.

The elephant in the room is Miller. The actor’s offscreen meltdowns and antics are public records, so I’m not going to dig into them in this review. As for Miller’s performance, while not up to the heights of their work in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Miller’s turn as two different Barry iterations is still strong. But they also play up the comedy to such a degree that sometimes it’s as if they’re in a different film from everyone else, and the mannered tricks grow old after a while.

I can say that the opening act fooled me into thinking The Flash was going to be something special. Asides from the rather terrible CGI, the first action sequence is outstanding, and Muschietti handles it with creative aplomb. The early scenes between Miller and Affleck are splendid, while The Flash’s first utilisation of the Speed Force is magnificent (Again, asides from the really cartoony effects). I also kind of loved the impromptu meeting between Barry Prime and his pre-powered younger self. These moments are funny, mysterious, and moving in almost equal measure.

But the visual effects are a very mixed bag. When the entire multiverse begins to collide, this supposedly awe-inspiring moment is too mechanically cartoonish, too glossily artificial, to be effective. As for the big battle featuring Supergirl, Keaton’s Batman, the two Flashes, and the return of Michael Shannon’s Zod from Man of Steel ? It’s all flatly shot punchy-punchy-blam-blam with zero stakes and even less style, so the less said about it, the better.

Yet little of this is outright terrible. There is an authenticity to all the core emotional elements, and this adds a layer of heartwarming tenderness that’s difficult to resist. While I can’t quite recommend The Flash, I’m likewise certain there are plenty of potential viewers out there who will have a grand time watching Barry sprint from one corner of the multiverse to the other, and that’s just fine.

Rating: 5.5/10

WATCH OF THE WEEK

BABY DRIVER

A movie about a getaway driver named Baby doesn’t sound like it would be a fresh breeze in a blockbuster landscape littered with tired ideas, but it is, largely thanks to Edgar Wright’s imaginative approach to filmmaking.

This is a man who’s previously gone into restrictive genres — buddy cop movies with Hot Fuzz, comic book movies with Scott Pilgrim v The World, zombie flicks with Shaun of the Dead — and injected his particular blend of storytelling to create magic.

From the very first chase sequence, the beauty in the heart-racing, dance-like choreography is evident, and you’re totally engrossed. There’s no getting off this ride.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is the getaway driver for Doc (Kevin Spacey), a crime lord who plans and recruits robbers for lucrative heists — banks, armoured trucks, and post offices. Baby is indentured to Doc after he accidentally crossed him when he was a teen and is paying off his debt by driving for him during his escapades.

As a child, Baby was in a car accident which killed his parents and gave him tinnitus. To drown out the constant ringing in his ears, he’s permanently attached to an iPod, favouring classics such as Queen, Young MC, The Damned and Dave Brubeck Quartet.

After one last gig, Baby is going to be free of Doc. He meets Debora (Lily James), a waitress, and they have one of those vintage movie courtships that involve two cute young things flirting their way around diners and laundromats, talking about music and their dreams to get away from it all.

But Doc isn’t done with Baby yet, pulling him back in with a not-so-subtle threat against Debora. Baby, you see, is his lucky charm.

Tagging along is a ragtag group of criminals, including the Bonnie-and-Clyde pair of Buddy (a greasy Jon Hamm) and Darling (Eiza Gonzalez) and Bats (Jamie Foxx), a selfconfessed loon with serious anger management issues.

You can’t sit through Baby Driver without being overtaken by Wright’s soundtrack choices — the music is the other character in this film, and it’s a pivotal influence on Baby’s emotional life. Among the dozens of songs in this

movie, the most memorable are the ones that accompany the chases.

The masterful synchronicity between the driving and the music, down to every twitch and turn, is a tour de force in editing by Jonathan Amos and Paul Machliss. There’s a grace to the action and to Baby, whose saunter down the street on a coffee run has an irresistible lyricism.

Elgort’s performance is an understated one, a smart choice considering the high-octane energy of the film, and hints at more gravitas than he’s been able to show in the teen flicks (The Fault in Our Stars, Divergent series) that catapulted him to fame.

It’s especially welcome as a balancing force against the intensity of everyone else’s performances, which border on cliche — that was probably the point — but still manages to come off as original. Spacey’s Doc looks like an FBI agent from Edgar Hoover’s time and speaks like an associate of Al Capone.

It might take place in the world of criminals, and it’s got a fair bit of violence, but there is an exuberance in Baby Driver that makes the experience of watching it an absolute joy. And we would expect nothing less from Edgar Wright. Streaming on Netflix.

Adekunle Gold_ Zinoleesky - Party No Dey Stop

Common_ PJ - What Do You Say (Move It Baby)

Lojay - MOTO

Bnxn_ Kizz Daniel_ Seyi VibezGWAGWALADA KCee - Ojapiano

Young Jonn - Aquafina

KAYTRANADA_ Lucky Daye - Look Easy

Cruel Santino_ Bella Shmurda DOG EAT DOG II