An interview with Bovi WRITTEN BY YETUNDE APAPA Bovi Ugboma is - TopicsExpress

An interview with Bovi WRITTEN BY YETUNDE APAPA Bovi Ugboma is a comedian; producer and an actor, his role in ‘Extended Family’ brought him into limelight. He’s a native of Delta State and a -graduate of Theatre Art from the University of Abraka, Delta State. He talks of the challenges in the industry, a day he will never forget and his plans for the future when YETUNDE APAPA met him. COULD you tell us about your family background? My name is Bovi Ogboma, I’m from Delta state, I’m an entertainer, an Isoko boy, and I have brothers and sisters. It’s complicated so let’s just leave it at that. You know the typical Nigerian man always has branches if you know what I mean. So, I have a very large family; let’s just leave it at that. I’m the first boy of four boys in my family. Tell us your educational background? I went to Government College Ughelli. I left I went to Edopolo grammar school in Benin, I left and from there went to boys model secondary school Onucholona from JSS3 and that was where I finished my secondary school education before I proceeded to DELSU for my University education. I read Theater Arts, I served in Kogi state. I work and live in Lagos, and then my masters (laughs) I would do my masters (laughs), just kidding o. I’m not doing any masters (laughs) What inspired you to start comedy? It’s complicated. Normally, I tell people I’m an entertainer, because I write, I act; I do standup comedy, so it’s wide. I went into comedy because I knew I had the flare for it, that’s basically why. I started with comic acting on T V, so it was from there it metamorphosed into standup comedy. I knew I was always going to do standup comedy but I did not want to jump into it like every other person. It’s difficult because there is no structure in the industry you know, so I thought to myself that by the time I do TV people would get to know me, so I had it all planned out. How do you combine being a comedian, producer and acting career? It’s hectic but it’s what I love doing so somehow I just find a way of going round everything. I think it made me appreciate women more because they say women can multi task. Could you tell us about your most embarrassing moment on stage? My most embarrassing moment on stage! Wow, okay. I could remember when I did a show way back in Akute, when I was called on stage; the reception from the crowd was so massive and amazing to the extent that after my first and second joke I blanked out onstage because the crowd intimidated me with their first class reception. So I just kept looking backstage as if I was being told that my performance time was up and after the second joke wrapped it up, I ran out of the stage as quickly as I could. What problems do you think are inherent in the comedy industry? Basically as a producer, finance is a major challenge. But basically as a comedian, the major problem we face so far is that of comedy piracy as I would like to call it. People who call themselves comedians take other comedians’ jokes and personally crack them as if it were their own. I have had personal experiences of comedians cracking jokes I personally coined out of the experience I have encountered in life and you see them performing them at shows while they are being recorded on CDs as if it were their jokes. That is really sad and disheartening. Who influenced you to start comedy in the industry? That would be Basket mouth. Because before now I use to watch him on stage and mf I just fell in love with W his style and delivery. m And then I just kept m wondering to m myself, how does M this guy do it? He m just keeps going m on and on. M Other R comedians like K Ali Baba also U influenced K me. But I M just felt this connection with basket 4 mouth’s style and I would say he was a very great influence as regards my comedy career. Do you engage in other things apart from your showbiz career? For now everything I do centers around entertainment. I am lucky I know how to write, I am lucky I know how to act, and I know how to do standup comedy. You know those three are kind of enough for me. Then as a business man, I’m a producer, you understand, so I’m very busy but I think at some point I will go into PR because I know how to sell a lot. Before I could find my feet in the entertainment industry, I practically sold everything. If you come to me then and say you want to buy a coffin. I will tell you I sell coffins. That was how I was surviving and there are even companies in this Lagos that I have designed their logos for them. So I think I have the flair for PR too. I just know how to say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (laughs) How do you cope with your fans and have you had any crazy fan experience? Unfortunately for me, I I think the gigabyte of my memory is not so big so 1 I usually delete many of those things. So ft many aazy things have happened to me fan wise but I’m a very shy person but most people don’t get to know or believe that I am and that includes you now (giggles) so I would rather just entertain people. I really I’m not crazy about glamour and the celebrity status that goes with most of these things so I would rather just keep to myself, most times my fans appreciate me. I appreciate them back somehow but you know there has to be a limit to everything. So I try to manage my fans very well. Then about the crazy experience I have had from a fan which is quite recent, this happened when I went for a particular show and then one of my fans just came from nowhere and landed me a dirty slap (Laughs) I was shocked you know. And the guy goes ‘Bovi, I’m a very big fan of yours’. I was like you went too far in showing your appreciation towards me now, and that’s one experience out of many that was simply crazy for me. What are your visions in the next one year of your career and your plans for the future? Well in the next one year of my career, my business and family should be running better that what it is now Then for the future I know I am working towards being the best at what I do, getting the best of life and I know I will. I’m also hoping that by God’s grace in future, I would be a force to reckon with both nationally and internationally. Can you please do a joke for us? Noooooooo (long answer) and (laughs). It is very unprofessional to do jokes on paper and besides I don’t do jokes for free. If you want to hear me say a joke pay to watch me on stage (laughs) but seriously, I could have but it’s not going to flow like if I was on stage with a mic, you know how it is now (laughs) What are the challenges you face as a comedian As a comedian, the major challenge we face is that of gaining the acceptance of a crowd when on stage. You know it is not easy to make people laugh so that’s one very big challenge we comedians have and then as producers, finance is one of the numerous challenges we face in production. Please tell us about you happiest moment? I’m always happy. I don’t think I can pick a happiest moment. I sell happiness for a living. And I can’t sell what I don’t have. That would mean I stole it. But I have memorable moments; the loud ovations, the commendations, the birth of my son - they are a few of my memorable moments. How was your first time on stage? First time as an amateur on stage was in 2002. It was amateurish but I would say it was an amateur audience as well so they took me in their stride. As a professional, my first time on stage practically tore the roofs to shreds. Remember, I had been accepted on TV so taking the stage was good for me. My work was not to win the audience over, I already have them. My work was to ensure that I don’t bore them. When you first started, what were your parents’ reactions? I only had issues with my parents when I was studying theatre arts. But once I graduated and came to Lagos, it’s been support and encouragement all the way. They let me take my own risks. Who is you role model? I can’t pin that down to one person. However, there are industry players I’ve admired over the years. I love 2pac Shakur. I could relate with his story; almost identical with some areas of my life’s story. Richard Mofe Damijo trained me while working as his PA between 2004 and 2006. Basket Mouth, I look up to artistically and when I reached out to him, he thought me how to handle the business angle of my talent. And he’s been a true friend. There are a whole lot more I admire but that will take a whole day to list.