When I’m old and grey I would retire into politics-Mandy Uzonitsha, comedienne

If you call her the grandmother of comedy in Nigeria, you are not wrong. Guess why? Mandy Uzonitsha is the first female stand-up-comedienne in Nigeria who started cracking jokes boldly. She found her way into the entertainment industry as early as 1992 via the Charlie Boy Show, a one time popular television show. In this interview with ADAEZE AMOS, this Delta state born, reveals what she does when she experiences black out on the stage.

Can you relieve how you started your career in comedy?

I started very young, very early. I actually started in 1992 when I stumbled into  Charlie Boy.  But I started doing MC jobs before I delved into comedy. That was just it.

What was your experience before a large crowd?

My first experience before a very large crowd was on Girls Night Out. Oh it was a fantastic show. It was the first time Nigerians were seeing a female stand up comedianne. It was the first Girls Night Out Show where girls did everything and I did my stuff that night. But prior to that time, I did a show on Valentine’s Day. It was boat cruise show, so I was the MC on the boat. So, when the Girls Night Out Show came up, I was called and I was told I was going to do something similar to what I did on the boat cruise show. It was like I had practised before. And that made it easier.

Have you experienced a situation whereby you are on the stage and you had a blackout?

Oh most times I have. When you see a comedian saying ehm, ehm anyway put your hands together, the person is lost. You wouldn't know what to do at that time, but if you are very smart, you would quickly pick something from the crowd and use that opportunity to get yourself back. So, I experience black out so often on stage but I have an antidote to that.  So, as a human being, ordinarily you would forget something. If you just suddenly forget, what to do is to use something from the crowd pick it up and come back. You could just say put your hands together and while people are clapping, you are using that little space of time to come back to your senses. So when you hear comedians say that, know definitely they are trying to get back their senses.

How do you get your jokes?

From things that happen around me. I am a mother. So, I get my jokes from what my mother does, what my daughter does, things I see. I used to get my jokes from my land lord before but I don’t any more. Yes, I get my jokes from thing that happens around me. When I was much younger, I could say anything in form of jokes but now, I watch it. I'm a mother I watch the kind of jokes I crack. Sometimes most things I say get back to my daughter because she has friends that actually watch DSTV a lot. Initially I used to crack jokes about my daughter a lot. Most of them could be lies but I would keep on talking just to entertain my audience. And then when her friends started telling her, I saw your mummy on DSTV. She actually said this or that about you and she would start crying. She would cry and come to me just to ask me why I did that. I would tell her shut up o! I did that or I said that just to get money for your school fees. So, don’t even think about that. And the poor girl would dry her eyes and keep quite. Yes, once I tell her that, she would calm down. But it got to a time, I spoke to myself, don’t just hurt this girl because you are trying to make money. Just keep her away from your business. So, that was how I tried to remove her from my job now, you know. But before oh my God, it was a regular thing, an everyday talk.

Have you done some jobs outside Nigeria?

Yes, I have done lots of jobs outside Nigeria. I go to East Africa a lot, maybe Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the rest. I go there for events most times.  Last year, I could not count how many times I went to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.  And I find out that there is need for us to crack out jokes in English because the market out there doesn't understand pidgin. If you are in this kind of business that I do, endeavour to speak well because it makes your business grow better. In other words, if you want to be a comedian, don’t only know how to speak pidgin, you should speak English flawlessly. It makes your business thrive better. For instance, if they call me for a job somewhere where they understand pidgin and I stand before them and start cracking jokes in English, they would be lost. That is what I'm trying to drive at. I am one person that knows my market and I face my market. And then, I'm not a graduate for nothing. Not because of hardship, I now go to university, spend all those years I spent there, got a BSC and then start talking like an illiterate. So, most times you have to position yourself. It might not work now, it might work later on. But just position yourself, just keep your head up and the sky would not even be your limit.

When you started comedy were you not  being taken for granted because of your sex?

 I was not taken serious. Nobody wanted to give a female comedianne the chance to prove what she is worth. No one took me serious. They felt when I am tired of fooling myself I’ll leave the scene. But I continued, never discouraged and today I get good results.

More about you and what  you read?

I read Political Science from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. My father is from Asaba, the Delta State capital, my  mum is from the Urhobo-speaking part of the State.

How come your surname is uzonitsha an Igbo word meaning the road/way to Onitsha?

(Laughs) Well, I think it is my forefathers that should be able to answer that. It has to do with the history of my family that is all I can say.

When you are old and grey what would you want to retire into?
 when I am old and grey, I hope to go into politics. The first thing about politics is that you should be known. When you are known and you have done one or two good deeds, people will want to vote for you.