The Nigerian entertainment industry is fast growing and making rounds all over the globe and our comedians play a significant role in fostering this growth. Nigerians are believed to be stressed people because of the leadership and economic issues they continue to endure. Little wonder there are more successful comedians in Nigeria than in other African nations.
Nigerian comedians create humor from the awful situations that average Nigerians endure daily. They can make sad and depressing situations laughable. This makes their comedic pieces relatable to Nigerians of all social classes. Why else would their shows be consistently booked fully?
And science supports this turn of events, as it proves that humans are much healthier and less stressed when they have a hearty laugh. The hormonal changes that stress initiates are reversed by laughter through the activation of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, which are natural painkillers. Several scientific studies have found that laughing just for a minute daily has a lot of health benefits, such as easing pain, preventing high blood pressure and stroke, and improving the immune system. This is enough reason for comedy to continue to thrive in a nation such as Nigeria.
Despite the crisis ravaging the Nigerian economy, comedians such as Bovi Ugboma, popularly known as Bovi, have managed to catch the attention of many, bringing out laughter even in the face of uncertainty.
Born on 25th September 1979 to Chief Eddie and Margaret Ugboma, both of whom hail from Edo state, Bovi showed potentials of becoming an entertainer from a young age, and he sustained his trait until he was old enough to seek platforms that would make his dream a reality. Fortunately, he had the unwavering support of his family, and this kept him going.
Bovi started as a reporter at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) before moving to Lagos to begin his journey into stardom in 2004. He later got trained and mentored by the popular actor Richard Mofe Damijo while working as his assistant.
He went ahead to build his production team in 2006, then created, produced, and featured in his first TV show titled Extended Family, which amassed a great audience. This sold him out as an upcoming comedian with a lot to offer to the eager Nigerian audience.
In 2013, Bovi began his first comedic show which he tagged, Bovi: Man on Fire. Since then, he has won different awards, including Best Actor in a Comedy at AMVCA, Best Youth Comedian at the Stand-Up Comedian Award, Funniest Comedian of the Year at the Nigerian Entertainment Award in 2014, Most Creative Comedy Show at the Humour Awards, and many others. He is one of the highly sought-after Nigerian comedians, and he has collaborated with other A-list comedians such as Alibaba, Basket mouth, Julius Agwu, and I Go Dye, just to mention a few.
In a recent interview at a press conference for his show Bovi: Naughty by nature, Bovi stated that comedy has evolved from simply cracking jokes to helping people stay sane. He expressed further that his shows would not only entertain his audience but also be therapeutic for them. Bovi believes that comedians should be labelled as ‘doctors’ because they contribute to a healthier mental state for their audiences amid a failing economy. Well, we cannot entirely object to that.
Bovi is an inspiration to upcoming Nigerian comedians who seek to break out into the entertainment industry. He is a great example of a tenacious, diligent, and talented individual who knew what he wanted and went for it despite having few financial resources at the beginning of his career.
Nigeria will always need her national treasures for sustenance during difficult times, and one of them is Bovi Ugboma.
