29th November, 2013
Nigeria’s leading comedian and actor Bovi, on Sunday sent the residents of Abakaliki reeling with laughter as he mimicked President Barack Obama’s political rhetoric with an unmistaken perfection at the Abakaliki edition of Glo Laffta Fest.
Bovi tickled the excited audience with his jokes that juxtaposed a typical Nigerian political rally with that of the United States of America. His flawless parody of Obama at a political rally was the clincher. And he got the crowd cheering endlessly.
Bovi performed alongside other top Nigerian comedians and East Africa’s most-celebrated comedian, Salvador, from Uganda. The Ugandan cracked up the crowd when he related his native Ugbokolo everyday life experience, focusing on the notoriety of the village rascal, named Ladeja.
The Abakaliki edition of Glo Laffta Fest was the loudest bang the city has ever witnessed on the social scene as Glo lined up popular comedians and musicians from within and outside the country to thrill the city’s residents to a potpourri of the best comedy and music at the show.
Basketmouth, the show’s anchorman had stirred a roaring response when he asked in the thick of the fun-filled show that, “Seriously speaking, has any brand given the people of Abakaliki such a loaded show like this before, featuring an international comedian, Nigeria’s biggest and best comedians and Nigeria’s music superstars,” to which the thousands of people inside and outside the Nkweagu Ugbala Convention Centre answered a deafening “No.”
Basketmouth, who was impressed by the response, said that “besides Globacom, no other corporate organization rewards its customers like this”. The crowd, among whom was the State Commissioner for Information, Chike Onwe, students and various professionals, concurred.
Nigeria’s music stars, Chee The Voice, Burna Boy and Mr. Incredible, MI, kept the people on their feet during their different outings with their superlative performances. Vinissi, Abakaliki’s best female vocalist, also serenaded the audience.
Others who enlivened the show include 2CanTalk, Parrotmouth, SIM Card, Bash, Gandoki, Julius Agwu, Akpororo and Okey Bakassi. They all dished out spontaneous and contemporary jokes to the delight of the people.
The Glo Laffta Fest which kicked off in Lagos six weeks ago has toured Abuja, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Benin and Abakaliki. The show will be held in Enugu on Sunday while Asaba, Uyo and Ibadan will take their turns in subsequent weeks.
–Funsho Arogundade