Alibaba…
By Deborah Nnamdi
Alibaba, a Veteran Nigerian comedian (born Atunyota Akpobome) has voiced concern over what he describes as a troubling decline in professionalism within the country’s comedy industry.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Outside The Box podcast, Alibaba recounted a personal experience involving a fellow comedian he had recommended to host a corporate event. According to him, the comedian made an inappropriate joke about the company chairman’s plus-size wife, sparking embarrassment and raising questions about the comedian’s judgment and decorum.
“There are about three Nigerian comedians I simply can’t stand,” Alibaba said. “They have no decorum. They insult people’s sensibilities. When you try to correct them, they don’t listen. You send them to a corporate event, and they crack dirty jokes. Then when you get complaints and confront them, they downplay the issue.”
He shared one particularly disturbing incident where the comedian made a joke targeting a woman’s weight during an event.
“Someone once called to complain that this comedian joked about his plus-size wife. He said, ‘If a race started right now and we had to carry our wives and run, you couldn’t carry this one.’ I thought, that’s way out of line,” Alibaba recalled. “When I confronted him, he brushed it off and even told someone I was only upset because he was getting more attention.”
Although he refrained from naming the individuals involved, Alibaba emphasized the need for clear boundaries in comedy. He urged comedians to rely on smart, thoughtful humor rather than crude or offensive content, especially in professional settings.
He concluded by advising comedians to always be mindful of their audience—particularly during formal or corporate events—and to understand the importance of respectful and well-considered material.
