Mayor of Housing shows how to engage Nigeria’s 146m youth population … Explains why he sponsors ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ shows
By ESTHER OLAMA –
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has explained that he is determined to push the comedy industry higher because it targets Nigeria’s youth population of over 146m or 70 per cent of the population.
Mr China spoke on the sidelines of the unveiling of the biggest comedy show in the Niger Delta branded as ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ which is the brainchild of K.O Baba Jornsen.
According to the Mayor of Housing, any government that ignores comedy and the huge resources in it may be making a mistake.
The annual value of business in the comedy industry is estimated at over N100 billion, but most state and local governments in the Niger Delta are said to ignore this, he observed.
He said he has come as a force to push the reigning comedy show in the oil region, ‘The Mayor of Pitakwa’ to become one of the leading shows in Nigeria.
Now, China has moved bigger behind the ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ show to make it go bigger and maybe international as the laugh and hilarious centre in Nigeria.
The brand force has thus explained why he is pushing the ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ show, saying it is not only the biggest comedy show in the Niger Delta, also because he (China) was once a comedian. “I know how their industry is under-utilized and under-appreciated. Many of the corporations in the region have not recognized the value of that industry-like endeavour as is done in Lagos and now in Abuja.
“We want to be the pioneers, not only to recognize that industry, but to bridge the gap of dichotomy between Lagos/Abuja and Port Harcourt zone.”
Another point, he stated, is that this show captures Nigeria’s biggest demography of about 70 per cent of the population. Nigeria right now is over 235m people and 70 per cent or 146m of this is huge that is underappreciated and underutilized.
“A lot of people have called for an industrial and agricultural revolution in Nigeria as a way out, but the people that can bring this about are the youths that we neglect. The future billionaires are these same youths that we are underappreciating.”
So, he newsmen, “If we can make an impression with and build bridges with them, we would be securing our future because by the time they are up there, they would not forget those who were there for them in the beginning.
“These are the three reasons why we are partnering with the ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’. On a lighter note, the country is going through a new wave of stress. So, without humour-therapy, the rate of depression and suicide would be very high.”
On why Nigeria is surviving the wave of what it is going through, he said it is because of the heavy presence of humour. “It has come in as a huge panacea for what people are going through. Over the years, because of the explosion of the humour industry, most Nigerians have come to fall back on humour to digest their problems.
“They simply turn their misery into jokes and find a way to live with it or overcome it. Songs and jokes abound in Nigeria on every single disaster or misery. Some comedians make cruel jokes on themselves so much that people see their own afflictions as jokes from nature. They no longer see these things as tragedy but as jokes from nature which they must overcome.”
He went on: “See how bad Nigeria has become. You can’t even attempt to look up the value of your Naira to Dollar. You can’t even compare the Naira to Cameroon Cefas because before now, one Naira was equal to almost 100 Cameroon cefas but right now, one Cameroon cefa is N4. That is how bad things have become.
“Part of what is shielding the populace from the wave of hardship in Nigeria is humour as captured by the comedy industry. That is why this industry should not be overlooked or downplayed. It is more important than any ant-depressants or pill that can be given for depression, heartbreak, or hardship.
“For us, it’s a huge thing and we are contributing and supporting with our all.
Finally, we are the only startup company in Nigeria that does corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a scaled project. As we grow, we make CSR impact. We do not believe that you should wait till you grow or make all the profit before you make CSR impact around you. We do as we grow, and as we grow bigger, we offer bigger. We make impact with our growth.”
He commended the Lagos State government for partnering with an international firm to build the Lagos Film Village. “Government can invest in these spaces.
“Before now, arts and culture got huge chunks in annual budgets but right now, it is the opposite. The sector is on its own; to either grow or die. What the government can do is to give some support which will definitely go a long way.
“Every location in Nigeria has a huge population of indigenous talents and every local council authority can easily support these talents. We no longer have cultural centres, comedy centres, halls, nor facilities or incentives to support art and culture. There are even no recognitions to the sector practitioners. Facility, financing, and recognition are needed urgently. Facility is the infrastructural support; financial support is the funding made available to the comedy industry, while recognition is the emotional support needed to boost the sector. Sometimes, if your son does well, a path on the back is all he needs.”
He said the government is no longer sowing patriotism in the hearts of the youths, the largest demography in Africa. They have the risk of this huge demography turn against them.”
Earlier, the man behind the ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’, K.O. Baba Jornsen, said at the pre-event press briefing that unveiling the objective of the 2024 edition was important to show how big the annual show has become.
The event would be mounted on April 1, 2024, with the theme; ‘They like to fool us’. The objective, he said, is to create brand visibility of the sponsors and those that know the value behind comedy shows.
Jornsen said the event would feature comedy for almost all the hours allotted to it, though other spices such as dances and short remarks are lined up to create variety. “There will be one hour of open moment to allow any comedian outside the cast that wishes to make an entry.”
K.O Baba speaks:
I (K.O Baba Jornsen) started small in Diobu (Port Harcourt) at the Royal Castle Hotel. Today, I have held shows in all hotels in the Garden City including the biggest centres. Now, we will hold this at EUI on April 1, Easter Monday, 2024.
Expected comedians at Mayor of Pitakwa 2024: Mudiaga, Gordons, Passion, Titus of Flatmates, Paul & Silas, Last Prophet, Akpan Okon, GSM, Danny Sprow, MC Dave, MC Intelligent (winner of Jamz of Pitakwa contest).
Sponsors: Mayor of Housing:
Let us explore the concept of raw value versus ripe value in entertainment industry. A close look comedy will reveal an abundance of raw talents and ripe ones in what we call raw values and ripe values.
Big companies run after ripe talents (ripe value) but Mayor of Housing looks out for the raw talents. Returns on Investment for sponsoring ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ are high for any company that partners with them. We as a brand are happy to be associated with the ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ brand.
It is the biggest comedy show in the Niger Delta but we want to make it the biggest in Nigeria.
Mudiaga Ogheneovo:
The lineup of comedians on the April 1, 2024 show is energetic, they are people with energy. K.O Baba is high class.
Nwachi Emmanuel
I have had my learning curve. The ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ is best partner because of what it brings to the table. I handle welfare of events and I have come to learn that treatment helps to sell a brand. Everybody gets something. We give the best.
Tickets range from N7000 regular to N5m presidential seat.