By IFECHI OKOH

Comedians all over the world are known, loved, respected and celebrated for their natural abilities to provide comic relief for those who would embrace and applaud it. Today in Nigeria, it has become the in-thing in social circumference, providing a visible means of livelihood for talented persons into such concern. Hence corporate and comfortable persons take delight in paying handsomely to be part of comedy shows held in corporate venues.

Top comedians like Ali Baba, Basket Mouth, Seyi Law and Julius Agwu have become the delight and toasts of comedy show lovers. The comedians, too, have used this platform to sustain their popularity and regular income through which they survive.

But unfortunately, their success may have gone into the heads of most of them, pitiably making them arrogant to fans who sustain them through regular patronage of their corporate shows. On parade here are Ali Baba, Basket Mouth, Seyi Law and Julius Agwu.

ALI BABA

He is undoubtedly the living legend of top Nigerian comedians and the comedy concern. He has since set the stage and standards as a father figure, making it a money-spinning venture for talented comedians. However, and sadly too, the Edo State indigene is anything but a humble person, off the stage. He hardly recognizes people after several meetings. Showbiz Xtra has seen him snub fans on several occasions. Imagine!

BASKET MOUTH

It may interest you to know and note that Bright Okpocha, massively addressed as Basket Mouth by friends and fans, has no courtesy of any sort for a larger percentage of his fans who are psychologically infatuated by his physical presence. This, we stamped one fateful night in OJez Club when some young men who could be described as his die-hard fans inched close to him, frantically trying to shake his hand, but got a sudden and disturbing cold reception. He actually stunned close watchers when he simply waved at those who really wanted a hand shake. This reporter was miffed that a celebrity could shun honest hand shake of gentlemen poised to embrace their idol. Honestly, that scene was actually heart-rending by any definition.

SEYI LAW

This celebrity comedian, whose definition of comedy has automatically made him a toast of the corporate world, appears not to be in the unwholesome practice of shunning fans openly. However, he does by tactical refusal to pick his calls after strong pledges to pick offended fans’ calls. Law's action, undoubtedly, tells of his interest as a person and celebrity. His action is, no doubt, capable of putting off his fans’ that may be ready to package mouth-watering shows for him. He should watch it right away, before it is pretty too late for him. Oh yeah! It is for his own good!! Yes, a word is enough for the wise.

JULIUS AGWU

A front seat occupier in Nigerian comedy concern, he is also among the few comedians who are into music and comedy. The fame that came his way from both may have gone into his head, making him too full of himself. This, he really shows off on stage with obvious contempt and sudden swipes at unsuspecting members of his fans during shows. He may not have thought over his action to have been doing that to people who parted with good money to watch his shows. He may not have also seen anything wrong in his actions, but in reality, there's everything wrong with making caricature of the ladies and gentlemen who made out time and paid to watch his shows. This reporter doubts seriously if the pint-sized Okombo creator can still remember newshounds who attended his first-ever press conference where he shared puff-puff. From this suspicion, it is obvious that he has excused fame to go into his head unnecessarily, forgetting yesterday so soon.

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