The show organised by Event Factory at the Accra International Conference Centre received some commendable reviews from patrons.

You know what they say, that there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.

So, patrons of the Easter comedy show, headlined by legendary comedian Basketmouth were treated to the best of rib-cracking jokes.

The night saw other talents including Jacinta Ocansey, Ebenezer, Oojo, and Igosave all take turns to ensure that laughter was dominant.

This year, patrons had the surprise of their lives as Basketmouth brought out legendary musician 2Face Idibia.

In April, AY, in an interview session with media personality, Chude Jidenowo, he disclosed that his long-term beef with Basketmouth whom he tagged along with the events at the outset of his career, began in 2006.

AY, among other things, claimed that he stood in for Basketmouth at an event but didn’t get his N30,000 payment for the job.

In an apology video posted on his official Instagram page on Monday, Basketmouth finally reached out to AY and sought forgiveness.

He said, “Now, to my guy, AY. I don’t know if my apology is still valid right now, but if it is, please forgive me for whatever I have done or said in the past that affected you in any way,

“I want you to know that I have forgiven you for whatever you did or said knowingly or unknowingly. I just want us to live in peace and harmony.”

Basketmouth also apologised to other colleagues in the industry, whom he may have offended over time.

“Knowingly or unknowingly, I say this to you right now from the bottom of my heart. I am genuinely sorry. Please forgive me,” he pleaded.

However, to the people who accused him of doing one thing or another that affected their career, he did not deny or accept the allegations “because God knows the truth”.

“Regardless, please forgive me. I beg you from the bottom of my heart,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a twist, the comedian confirmed the perception of people who may see his video necessitated by his upcoming show.

However, he noted that regardless of his show, his apology came from a place of genuineness to be at peace with his colleagues.

The Beef

On 29th March, AY, while narrating his beef with Basketmouth, said his colleague would usually get multiple gigs on weekends and outsourced some of them to him.

According to him, Basketmouth would attend one, then at a point, leave the venue and catch up in the other medium, and then he would need someone else to stand in for him.

“That was the opportunity I got from him, which I am very appreciative of to date,” AY said, noting that the profits from the gigs helped him in those days.

“Now, something funny happened. In one of the gigs, I got his endorsement to go stand in. Usually, we get at that time N30,000, and that N30,000 was everything to me.

“The N30,000 would buy me my pack of Indomie, recharge cards, fuel for my ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generator and then the opportunity to pay just one or two people to join me to do one or two skits that I can just quickly put out,” he narrated.

However, after he stood in for Basketmouth during this event, AY said he was not paid and had to reach out to Basketmouth, who also told him that the organisers had yet to be paid.

AY said he later contacted the organisers and was shocked that the client paid before the event.

Among other things, AY also accused Basketmouth of delisting him from his wedding invitation, turning down shows where he is billed to perform and rebuffing attempts at peace.

Basketmouth’s reaction

On 12th April, the comedian, while reacting to AY’s allegations, said there was never a time when he was friends with AY.

“We have never been friends. I’ve never visited his house. I’ve never personally invited him to my house. I never call one day say, oh boy, where you dey make we hang out. What’s going on? Nothing like that don ever happens.”

Basketmouth noted no picture of him and AY on social media, proving they were not friends.

He disclosed that Alibaba once called him to give AY an opportunity, so he put him on ‘Laughs and Jams’ back then.

Although he said he considered doing projects with AY, considering what he heard about AY, he chose not to.

Destalker’s allegations

In September, Nigerian Comedian Oghenekowhoyan Desmond, popularly known as Destalker, also revealed how he unknowingly fell out with his colleague, Basketmouth.

In a recent interview session on the Honeybunch podcast, Destalker said he got a call to appear on Basketmouth’s Flatmate show, but he declined twice.

The comedian said his reasons for declining were based on the caller’s miscommunication, and he never knew it was Basketmouth’s show.

Destalker said three weeks later, he met a colleague at a lounge who criticised him for declining to feature on Basketmouth’s program out of arrogance.

He said, “Till today, when I go out and see my colleagues, I’ll exchange pleasantries with everyone, but Basketmouth always acts like he doesn’t see when I try to relate with him.”

Destalker noted that he tried three times to reach out to Basketmouth but always ignored him, so he decided to let it go.

He also alleged that Basketmouth and other senior colleagues blacklisted him in the industry.

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After over two decades of fame, Basketmouth is yearning to live a normal life, one where he would not have to be scrutinized for every action he takes.

Gracing the studios of Hitz FM for the Tuesday edition of Daybreak Hitz, the comedian said success is very challenging and it seemed as though he was being forced to be in people’s faces just to feed.

“Fame is good, but remaining relevant is another thing. I try to maintain the ride because getting to the top is easy but staying there is difficult. You have to stay fresh because everyone is looking at you,” he said.

Aside the fact that he has to live a life to please society, Basketmouth said celebrities are easy targets, and for any mistake they make, disaster is waiting to happen.

In his opinion, it is very easy to lose one’s self and at some point in life, he lives as though someone is watching.

However, he wishes that to be a thing of the past, adding that he yearns to live a normal life.

“I am human, I wanna do normal stuff, I wanna be free, that’s the life I want to live,” he said while revealing his intention to quit comedy soon.

In the next five years, he sees himself doing behind the scene production work and living a stress-free life.

Speaking on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM he explained that the show that catapulted his success was held in Ghana and was widely received across the world.

He told Andy Dosty on Tuesday that “I owe you guys (Ghana) a certain level of my growth. The first big show that sold me to the world I did it in Ghana, that was when I did ‘two things involved’ that performance was what sold me.”

Basketmouth said that as an appreciation and love for Ghana, he has always tried to incorporate the country into his art.

Basketmouth became one of Ghana’s favourite comedians after he performed his infamous ‘two things involved’ stand-up at the Accra International Conference Center years back.

In the years that followed, the Nigerian comedian has always appreciated Ghana. 

In one of his many ways of showing gratitude, he created a comedy show named Ghana Jollof which follows the story of two Nigerians who moved to Ghana.

The story features prominent Nigerian and Ghanaian actors. Basketmouth also released a single Ghana Jollof which featured Kwabena Kwabena.

“I have always tried to integrate my art with Ghana,” he said on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM.

Basketmouth is currently in Ghana ahead of his ‘Unprovoked’ show on April 8.

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A post shared by Basketmouth (@basketmouth)

Standup comedy is thoughtful and needs little or no fumbling yet Basketmouth explained he needs no script because “with one destruction you have missed the joke, that is the hard part, making the materials connect.”

Speaking to host Andy Dosty, the A-list entertainer, born as Bright Okpocha, said it is all about creating a story and flowing along.

“I don’t script my comedy. I prepare the materials and I make everything connect. When you are on stage you want people to get into your story and be in your world so it means you have to create the scenarios.”

He added: “If I have a gig, I outline the topics but they must connect. So during the course, I take some things out. But sometimes when I am on stage, some new things come to my mind and sometimes the spontaneous ones are the funniest.

“With one destruction you have missed the joke, that is the hard part, making the materials connect,” he revealed.

Narrating his entry into the comedy world, Basketmouth said it all began when he got enrolled at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Nigeria.

“I didn’t know I was funny until I entered university. People wanted to be around me and everyone thought everything I said was funny. I wasn’t the only one, there were many others too.”

According to Basketmouth, it baffled him when he emerged on top ahead of his competitors.

“I schooled in Benin in Edo State and in Delta State they are the funniest. Some areas in the East are funny too. You have to be cerebral for them to laugh. They can laugh to support you but that doesn’t mean you are doing better. Nigerians know comedy.”

To flow with comedy, Basketmouth advised people aspiring to enter comedy to sync with their audiences.

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In an interview on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, he said he was being forced to toe a line he didn’t want to.

According to the 44-year-old comedian, most famed celebrities who attained recognition through stand-up comedy in Nigeria are always expected to automatically become MCs too, and he didn’t support that.

“I was being forced to do what I don’t want to do. I am a standup comedian and not an MC. But in Nigeria they want the two. That is not my design. This is me fighting myself every day, If I am honest with my art and I thought I will drown with it.”

The renowned comedian said he changed his ways and decided to “be himself” in all situations by forgoing the thoughts of trying to stay at the top at all costs.

“Staying relevant isn’t a problem and that is not my problem but for other people. For me, I just enjoy the ride, getting to the top is not easy but staying there is very difficult, I have to stay fresh and everyone is looking at you waiting for your mistakes. You cannot forget who you are,”

Speaking further, he disclosed he is yet to enjoy holidays after being in the industry for close to 30 years.

For Basketmouth, born as Bright Okpocha, fame is relative since he would love to live like a normal person without everyone paying attention to his gestures and lifestyle.

“I am human, and I want to be free. That is the life I want to live. After 50 years, I want to be free and leave the space and live a normal life.”

He continued, “For the first time in about 26 years I am going on a holiday next month – a boat cruise. They have lots of things in the boat and there people who won’t know who I am, so I will be myself. I picked the right boat, I am sure.”

Meanwhile, Basketmouth is set to hold his latest comedy show, Basketmouth Unprovoked, in Accra on April 8 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

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A post shared by Basketmouth (@basketmouth)

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In the video which has gone viral, Basketmouth was advertising his upcoming concert to take place in Ghana.

Scheduled for April 8, Basketmouth wanted to connect with his patrons in Ghana, hence decided to communicate in Twi.

Though the pronunciations weren’t coming out correctly, the comedian was determined to get his message across but not without interjections from his colleague Buchi.

“Ghanafour mekyiaa mu, Miiba Ghana on the 8th of April. Mumbra na yen Sri na yen gyi ye ni,” his message read in parts.

Buchi, who was not convinced Basketmouth was communicating correctly, advised the latter to speak English but to no avail.

However, after getting his message across, Basketmouth hilariously opted to also record in English as he wasn’t sure he had done the right thing.

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He took to his Instagram page to share the video which has generated mixed reactions from fans including colleague creative arts industry players.

Watch video below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Basketmouth (@basketmouth)

The comedian shared the heartbreaking news on his Instagram page on December 22, 2022.

He said he reached a consensus with his wife and appealed to the public to respect their privacy at this time.

As much as it pains me to bring my personal life to the public space, this is an unavoidable situation. After much deliberations, my wife and I have made the difficult decision to end our marriage, he wrote.

He also noted that he and his wife will continue to work together to give their children the best care while they navigate other aspects of their lives separately.

In his words, as we move forward separately, we will continue to work together to give our beautiful children all the care, love, guidance and support they need. We humbly ask that you respect our privacy as we navigate through these times. Thank you.

The comedian and his entrepreneur wife, Elsie, met in 2003. At that time, Basketmouth had gone to the University of Lagos, which happens to be Elsie’s school, to promote his first big show, titled Basketmouth Uncensored.

Check out the post below:

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