Here's to one of Nigeria's fast rising comedians, Prince Neche, who took to his social handle to lament on the current state of the entertainment industry in Nigeria, drawing from his experiences from the city of Awka Anambra state......see the full gist below
"INDUSTREET"
(The unizik Entertainment Story)
(The unizik Entertainment Story)
2010 January 8th, I arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe University. I have always been a comedian from home na, I didnt just want to grow, I also wanted to learn but there was no platform. There were just two known comedians here at the time; Parrot Mouth and Kuriano. There were others: Mc Gentle, Mallam Dagogo and Angel Gabriel and that was all and these people were unapproachable especially the first two. I remember a certain day, Kuriano called me down from a stage where I was performing just to shout at me for cracking a joke he said was his. A joke I heard in 2008 at enugu (Anyway, that was the day I swore to stay on my own, work hard and get to the top, and when I do, I will be very accessible to any upcoming comedian that wants a platform, because it hurts not to have one). Anyway, the other comedians were still looking to get to the lime light oh!!! I forgot, there was also Mc Wem and Mc Cup but who know them kwanu? Them no even get platform not to talk of giving another person. I met Mc Cup in my fellowship, and funny enough, he decided to share the little platform he had with me.
I am telling you little of my story just so you know that I have been here for too long and I know what am about to say.
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Fast forward to 2014, the industry has opened, you can now wake up one morning and decide to do a show and people will support you. You can throw a party and people will come.
Them no born you well to do comedy show in Awka as at 2011/2012 if your name is not P-mouth. If you even decide to do it, you will call Parrot mouth and ask him to give you a date when to do your show so it will not clash with his own.
You want to throw a party and you're not a part of Adonis or Pink? You are mad!!!
Them no born you well to do comedy show in Awka as at 2011/2012 if your name is not P-mouth. If you even decide to do it, you will call Parrot mouth and ask him to give you a date when to do your show so it will not clash with his own.
You want to throw a party and you're not a part of Adonis or Pink? You are mad!!!
GMX, GKC, SUREBOIZ, COPREATE ENT, HUSTLERS ENT (most of you might not know these names).....etc. all of them have come and the industry has opened. Everybody has become equal. Shows have become easy to do. The battle has been fought and won so anybody can now enjoy the spoils from the war. THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING STARTED TO SPOIL!!!
Anybody wakes up, picks a date, prints banners and does a show or a party, without proper planning. Not like it's my business though but those of you outside this town or looking to come here soon, please lemme show three serious angles of our entertainment that needs changing.
*The Shows
*The Pageants
*The Awards
*The Shows
*The Pageants
*The Awards
The Shows- The level of entertainment scam in this town is something else. A lot of 'A list' artistes have been to Awka on posters and handbills only.
We rush to venues paying and hoping to see Ycee, and we end up seeing Slowdogg or sometimes nobody. We pay for things and we don't get them. All the shows are majorly the same. I remember SlimshadyInvasion2, The guy suffered to bring Derenle to Awka. People doubted like crazy. Derenle even did a video to tell people that he was coming but still, people said the video was a scam, that Derenle's mouth movement and the audio of the video didn't sync. And this is as a result of previous show scams. This town is where great upcoming artistes pay show organisers to perform at their shows instead of the other way round. I am choosing not to call out people in this writing maybe because am not Toke Makinwa, but I know a great number of people know what I am talking about and the people behind it.
We rush to venues paying and hoping to see Ycee, and we end up seeing Slowdogg or sometimes nobody. We pay for things and we don't get them. All the shows are majorly the same. I remember SlimshadyInvasion2, The guy suffered to bring Derenle to Awka. People doubted like crazy. Derenle even did a video to tell people that he was coming but still, people said the video was a scam, that Derenle's mouth movement and the audio of the video didn't sync. And this is as a result of previous show scams. This town is where great upcoming artistes pay show organisers to perform at their shows instead of the other way round. I am choosing not to call out people in this writing maybe because am not Toke Makinwa, but I know a great number of people know what I am talking about and the people behind it.
The Pageants- Sorry oo, but in this town, pageants have become a medium for runs girls to upgrade their Résumé and launch into a bigger market of "runs girlship" (Yes I said it, if you vex kill yasef) .
It is also a medium for high class runs girls to hide their illicitly acquired cars from their suspecting parents. Yes na, A girl does 'runs' till she can afford a car, but knows that her parents will question her so she gives the car to a pageant organiser and also supports him/her with some money, then they will host a pageant and crown her winner. That way, the car can be branded "Miss One thing like that" or "Face of Ofu ihe nwannu" instead of the supposed "Miss Ashawo Nigeria". Haven't you wondered why there are so many pageants in Awka?
It is also a medium for high class runs girls to hide their illicitly acquired cars from their suspecting parents. Yes na, A girl does 'runs' till she can afford a car, but knows that her parents will question her so she gives the car to a pageant organiser and also supports him/her with some money, then they will host a pageant and crown her winner. That way, the car can be branded "Miss One thing like that" or "Face of Ofu ihe nwannu" instead of the supposed "Miss Ashawo Nigeria". Haven't you wondered why there are so many pageants in Awka?
Pageants here are also a way to do high class pimping. Permit me not to explain. Google it!!!
Pageants here also have their own scam. They would advertise cars and wardrobe allowance and all expense paid trips to where ever and at the end of the day, after you have sold tickets for the organisers and hustle to win the crown, they will rent car, brand it mildly and present to you on the night of the pageant and from the next morning, me and the girl will be dragging bus. The scam in the pageant world is something I can't finish talking about today so I will leave it and talk about something that gives me serious concern.
Pageants here also have their own scam. They would advertise cars and wardrobe allowance and all expense paid trips to where ever and at the end of the day, after you have sold tickets for the organisers and hustle to win the crown, they will rent car, brand it mildly and present to you on the night of the pageant and from the next morning, me and the girl will be dragging bus. The scam in the pageant world is something I can't finish talking about today so I will leave it and talk about something that gives me serious concern.
The Awards- I don't know why this aspect of the entertainment industry screams "Fraud"!!!!
In this town, Awards are just like an auctioned item, the highest bidder gets it or in some cases, if you're a close friend of the organiser, then you get one too. They announce 20 voting categories and give out 30 honorary awards. Someone is "Best Dancer of the year" and another person is "Best Energetic Dancer of the year".... Really???.
Sometimes they come in tricky forms, "Dear Prince Neche, you have been recognized to be awarded as Comedian of the year in the next edition of EZE NDI ARA AWARDS 2016 but you will need to make financial contributions or support towards the event, ranging from 10 thousand naira and above".
In this town, Awards are just like an auctioned item, the highest bidder gets it or in some cases, if you're a close friend of the organiser, then you get one too. They announce 20 voting categories and give out 30 honorary awards. Someone is "Best Dancer of the year" and another person is "Best Energetic Dancer of the year".... Really???.
Sometimes they come in tricky forms, "Dear Prince Neche, you have been recognized to be awarded as Comedian of the year in the next edition of EZE NDI ARA AWARDS 2016 but you will need to make financial contributions or support towards the event, ranging from 10 thousand naira and above".
Some will ask you as an awardee to come and buy IV to the event at 5k then bring 10people that will buy IV at 1k each. (Una for tell me say na Ultimate cycler we dey do)
Awards in this town don't reward hardwork, but rather recognizes people that can pay. and somebody will carry money and pay for an award, collect it and come and use it to decorate his room while still going hungry(chop the award na).
2016 has been a dope year in the entertainment industry in this town. Personally I may not have anything to offer anymore, but those of you that still do, please try to change the game. We need to do things differently here. We can grow our entertainment industry here, but not the way we are going.
Dear Fellow entertainers and Showbiz colleagues,
I didn't write this to spite anybody but to lend a voice and move a motion for the betterment of our entertainment industry. Awka is not all there is to entertainment. Packing awards here that you can't live up to doesn't make you a great entertainer. Take your eyes off that title of "AWKA BEST" , try something more challenging, there are bigger grounds to conquer, there are bigger dreams to pursue. Step out of your comfort zone and try new grounds. The sky is wide enough to contain all of us.
My Name is Prince Neche and I wish to see a positive change.
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