Koboko Master Revealed What Pushed Him Into Comedy

Nigerian top comedian and sports analyst, Bernard Gbadamosi, Alias known as Koboko Master, has said that ‘bad-mouthing kicked off his comedy career.

In an interview with DAILY POST, the comedian who is also a sports analyst and socio-commentator said he discovered his passion for comedy at a young age while growing up in a large family.

According to him, he started making jokes to encourage himself before he was advised to pursue a career in comedy.

”Comedy has always been part of me. I grew up in a large family of about 62 grandchildren and about 110 grandchildren so in such a house you expect to have the good, the bad and the ugly. My brother and I chose to be funny. We used to have these ‘ bad mouths and we never knew that it was going to be so good at some point. Right now it is paying off and we thank God for it.

”2009 I was doing comedy for money because I lived in Maraba in Nasarawa. Whenever I am in traffic I often crack jokes to encourage myself, so while people are complaining about drivers I make people laugh in the bus. I could be making references to cars, people in AC cars and while I did that people were telling me I was wasting my talent and I should go and join AY, Basket mouth e.t.c

”For me, it was never insulting, it was just them seeing me ahead of who I am and what I was planning for. Those words kept us believing that what we were doing was funny and people liked it.

”In 2008-2009 we had Charly Boy ‘make yarn. It was an event that was done with high list celebrities like Ruggedman, Feliz Duke, 2shot. It was organized to discuss Nigerian youths and the way forward. We auditioned at Charly Boy’s house because he needed people who were ready. That was my first audition in front of Charly Boy and he made it clear that he liked my performance.

”With Charly Boy’s encouragement, I felt it was an endorsement and when the event came I dressed up in one borrowed suit, performed and I had a great show. After that performance, it has been glorious from 2008 till now.

”2010 we had a battle of the gifted with Charly Boy and in 2012 I went into Radio for about 7 seven years. I talked sports from 2012 to 2018. I used pidgin to analyse sport, tennis, golf from 2017-2018, I decided to come back to my comedy life.”

When asked if he belongs to a family in the comedy industry since the Nigerians comedy industry seems to be divided into families, Koboko Master said he has not joined any clique in the industry.

He explained that Comedy now has its genre and due to his style of comedy, his best person in the industry is Acapella because he is a critical thinker.

“I haven’t joined any clique in the industry. Comedy has its genre now just like music that has Hip-Hop, Afro, there is abstract comedy and we have socio-economic comedy, music comedy. Because of my style of comedy, ‘socio-political, economical comedy, I think my best person right now has to be Acapella. One of my best jokes that has taken me far, ‘the coat of arm’ was done on his platform.

”Acapella is my best friend in the industry, my relationship with him is on a parallel line. He could have inspiration and call me and when I have mine I do the same because anything that is funny to him will be funny to 80 percent of any crowd. We are critical thinkers.”

He further stated that he was not discouraged from pursuing a career in comedy because he was responsible for himself at the age of 16.

”In life, you can only be concerned when you are practically involved in the person’s day to day activities. When you have the sense of independence from childhood the best your parents can do is to pray for you. That is why you cannot see an absolute rich man child doing comedy because those people lives is governed and designed by their parent.”

Speaking on Intellectual theft in the industry, the comedian noted that he does not recycle jokes and cannot be caught in a web of intellectual property robbery.

”I don’t recycle jokes, you can’t catch me in such a web because we watch fellow comedians to see how they gesticulate and interact with their audience. Some of us also follow foreign comedians in fact because of our line you cannot be a socio analyst, a physical thinker and run out of jokes. We are in a country that looks like Hollywood, you have to work on the ability to see what others are not seeing. You can’t catch in the web of intellectual property robbery.”

The Comedian also lamented that the ‘Abuja factor is a major challenge faced by comedians in F.C.T.

He said a lot still has to be done to encourage comedians in the nation’s capital adding that if the federal government makes life easier for its citizens things will fall in place for every Nigerian.

Kobo Master also maintained that it is easier to become a bigger comedian in Lagos than Abuja because the city is very reserved.

”Abuja factor is a challenge for comedy shows. It is a challenge because it is a city where everyone tends to be reserved. That is why they have so many ungodly places in the city, people go there because their excitement is not real, unlike Lagos. Things that happen in the park alone can make your day.

”In Lagos, shows are sold out but in Abuja, you may bring all the stars like Buchi, Bovi, Basket mouth and you will still have to spend money for adverts and broadcast, yet you will be shocked that only God can help you fill up that show.

”Maybe it is because Abuja is the seat of power and people who have stolen money cannot come out. For some of us if we put in the same effort in Lagos we will be bigger.”