Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, March 03, 2017
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Popular comedian, Ayokunle Makun, better known as AY has unveiled the inspirational story behind the yearly show, AY LIVE.
AY who was speaking as a guest of housemates in the television reality show, Big Brother Naija, streaming from Johannesburg, South Africa also unveiled how he got his break in comedy.
AY explained that he never knew he will live in Lagos not to talk of earning a living from comedy. He said he came to Lagos and was working as an assistant to grandfather of comedy in Nigeria, Alibaba and that one day he told Alibaba that too can crack jokes.
That was all he needed. Alibaba, he said told him to demonstrate what he could do while arranging the microphone to start the first comedy show in Nigeria, ”Night of a thousand laughs” , produced by Opa Williams, one of those who created what is today known as Nollywood.
Ironically, it was when he was shown the way out of Night of a thousand Laughs that he found his bearing in AY LIVE.
” It was when they sent me out , when they said they will no longer feature me in Night of a Thousand Laughs”, that I launched AY LIVE”, and since then there was no looking back he said, adding that AY LIVE will not die.
He explained that in life, it is when you meet the greatest obstacle that you get the break. It is that obstacle that takes you on the part of self realisation, he said.
“So don’t be discouraged”, he told the housemates, adding that while growing up, all he needed was a platform to excell. “Now you have the platform”, he told them.
He also spoke of the role his wife played in his first film, 7 Days in Atlanta, which he said recorded the highest grossing film in Africa that landed him a place in Guinness World Book of Records.
He said it was his wife who gave him the inspiration for the film.
