How Nigeria’s comedy industry can harness social media to create great brands – Ayeni Adekunle

To succeed in comedy, as in other areas of performing arts, you have to have a good platform.

From Friday Night Live to La Parias, Awada Kerikeri Organisation, Motherlan’, Nite of a Thousand Laughs and more, many of the most successful Nigerian comedians have used live events, television and traveling theatre to find fans and build patronage.

Today, technology has changed everything. From Facebook to Twitter and especially Instagram, a new generation of comedy is upon us; a new breed of comedians using their phones, editing apps, and Wifi to build mass audiences in unprecedented ways.

There’s the perpetual job-seeker Frank Donga, the pseudo prophets Woli Arole and Asiri. There’s of course the witty Olu Salako, the unbelievable Koye, the unpredictable Wofai Fada, the spontaneous Ebiye, the multitalented Maraji, the hilarious Mama Tobi and many more, using a high sense of comedy to curate and create skits and sketches that are now an essential part of our daily lives.

Most of these men and women are now building valid brands with notable offline presence and profitable engagements. They’re using social media to penetrate a competitive industry, the same way Ali Baba used La Parias and Friday Night Live, same way Aluwe and co used Ojo Ladipo and Awada Keri Keri.

Same way many across the continent used Opa Williams‘ Nite of a Thousand Laughs.

How are they doing it?

What does this mean for them, the industry and those watching? How can the entire industry harness social media even better to create great brand and business opportunities?

That’s exactly what I’ve been asked to talk about at #ECOFEST2017. And I plan to do justice to the topic. It is possible.

Good morning!