4 months ago
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Daniel Chibuzor Nwoka, aka Dan D Humourous, is one of Nigeria’s biggest names in stand-up comedy today. Married to Millicent Adanma Nwoka, a broadcaster with Channels TV, Dan is a passionate entertainer who uses every medium to express himself. Enjoy this interview he had with ORJI ONYEKWERE.
Which new project are you handling now?
I am making preliminary moves to expand my scope going into; production, advertising and other things, basically expanding the business side of things that one have invested in , in 20 years as a performer. Right now, we are evolving into the entrepreneurship side of things.
So, aside entertainment, you are diversifying into other businesses?
That’s just one. Even within entertainment we are moving from the stage to the boardroom. In a short time, you will be seeing productions from me and my production outfit. You will see some advertising jobs handled by my production company. So, I am expanding from the stage and the screen to the boardroom aspect of the business.
You started from Jos?
No. Port Harcourt.
I was wondering how your paths with Senator the Comedian crossed because both of you are close?
Senator and I were under the same tutelage of another comedian, Julius Agwu. He came from Jos, Plateau State with Osama, Funny Bone from Kaduna and myself from Port Harcourt. Whenever Julius had his shows, we were always the first to open the show and this brought us together, in that process we developed a bond.
Comedy is being redefined in the area of skits. Have you been doing skits?
The thing is that skits have always been there for a long time. Way back, what we call skits were known as playlets, short comedy but what has changed is the medium of expression. People now shoot skits and put it on TV, Instagram and YouTube, and so the expression has become wider and the barrier is now open. So, skits are just a product of evolution of technology which is very good. Television started moving to our phones via technology that’s what has brought about the skit thing, however, the core is still comedy.
This has also opened the kernel of talent expression and revenue generation for those who are versed in that. For some of us, we are core stand-up comedians. We get to shoot skits on a need basis, if there are certain things we want to promote or some activities you want to throw out there. We are not necessarily skit makers, but stand-up comedians… that’s the core of our profession. That doesn’t mean we don’t do skits.
Do you still want to go ahead with your political ambition after your previous attempt at governorship failed?
Well, it was House of Assembly. I am not very much politically entrenched, but I still have my political family. Maybe as the next election approaches, we will see what we can do as we don’t necessarily have to contest to be part of the system. We can get involved in other ways like appointments and assignments and we still remain relevant in politics.
Somebody said you should have contested for councillorship or chairmanship instead of governorship?
Like I said, it was House of Assembly, not governorship although that’s also in my scope of view, but you can’t be responsible for people’s opinions when it comes to ambition. Everybody has what they can stomach. There are certain people who didn’t contest anything and went straight to become presidents. There are certain people who have not contested anything and went straight to become governors. It’s not a primary to secondary procedure that you have to go through primary before secondary school. Wherever you think you have the wherewithal and capacity to carry with your: charisma, confidence and connection; you can go ahead and do it.
For those critics, it’s nothing because I could have gone for something higher. That’s why when we get to 2026, we will begin to read the political temperature and know where we can place ourselves. It’s not a do or die affair for people like us, who already have jobs we are doing and a flourishing career as well. For us, it’s just a medium of service.
You don’t have passion for acting like your colleagues?
You have not seen me in any movie before? I am on Flatmates on DSTV. There’s another one called ‘Dust’, where my character is one of the favourite characters. I have done a couple of movies on Amazon brand. I have done a few TV series for Agatha Amata television station (Rave TV). Like I said, I am mainly a standup comedian which is the core of my career in the entertainment industry. There’s also need for diversification which is what I am trying to do. I cannot be a full time actor like Deyemi Okalanwon or Etim Effiong.
It’s also a medium of talent expression whenever we have the opportunity. In addition, because we have already planted our feet for this long in the industry, we don’t just jump into any kind of production. I can tell you that for any kind of production I have mentioned here, I have had invitations. My passion is for entertainment and broadening the scope of entertainment, producing my own movies and TV series. What passion can be bigger than that. I am going beyond just driving the show myself to creating opportunities for the entire entertainment gamut
More than 20 years in the industry, can you recollect any unforgettable exciting experience or an ugly experience that made you cringe?
I have always had exciting experiences and I keep having them with every medium of expression which takes it from one level to another. From when I had my first major comedy show opportunity in 2005, to Nite of a Thousand Laughs, to my first opportunity in 2006 under Julius Agwu’s platform. Then the first time I performed before governors in 2009, to my own first one man show in 2012 , my first show in Lagos, my first show Abuja in 2021 and my first stage play in 2023. There are more merits and they keep evolving. For me; I have done it all in that regard and I have something big coming out next year. The announcement will be very big.
Cringe moments, I can proudly say in 20 years, I have never had a bad moment maybe on two occasions and it was a case of timing. One was when they brought me on stage and the audience was not expecting comedy at that time. Another incident happened when I came whilst they were expecting a musician and so when I came up nobody wanted to hear from me. We thank God that we are endowed with special grace to always fine tune every audience we find ourselves.
You and your wife are celebrities and have managed to be on the quiet side to avoid scandals. Is this a strategy?
When you say quiet side, what do you mean ?
You don’t celebrate your activities on the social media.
I don’t know about that because people who follow me on the social media have an idea about my family, my children. What they know is what I want them to know, but I am first, a child of God, and a human being and I see what I do as God’s own chosen career or job opportunity. For all you know, I could be a banker, lawyer or anything else.
I enjoy social media like my 10th anniversary, I posted it. If my wife does something interesting maybe we are at the gym or we are doing something interesting, I post it. The other day, my child came back and with this whole national anthem issue, I asked my child to sing it. I recorded and posted it on Instagram. You can’t come and post ‘oh I had an argument with my wife’. Nobody does that. So the same way the lawyer, banker, business person and a lot other professions do have their moments with their families, the one for public consumption you give them, and the one for your family’s privacy you keep it. You know there’s no family situation or marriage situation that’s perfect. It’s wisdom that you apply like every other person.
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Some of us believe that we always have to carry that tag of celebrity in mind in everything we do. No, if you are at home, you are father, husband, friend and everything. You cannot be a celebrity in the house. Besides, celebrity is not just limited to an entertainer. Pastor Jerry Eze is a celebrity, he is a popular pastor and highly celebrated, so also with the human rights lawyer Femi Falana. Celebrity is not a career but a reward of the work that you are doing well. If you’re doing your work well people will know and appreciate you. I was in this industry for close to 10 years and nobody knew me, but gradually after I have done many things people began to acknowledge me.
What was the first catch when you met your wife?
Her brilliance and intelligence.
Why do you think most stars like to live fake life? They want people to validate them?
I know people in other spaces who also live ‘fake life’ just to impress. For instance, somebody attending an NBA conference in Lagos. There are lawyers who don’t earn that much, but they will do anything to lodge at Eko Hotel for the conference so that people will believe that they have arrived. This is just one example. It’s everywhere but because entertainers are in the spotlight people get to notice our own faster, again everything is all about upbringing and your consciousness as an adult.
As an adult, if you have that consciousness and confidence of who you are, you will not need anybody’s validation. If you have money to buy Rolls Royce or private jet, go ahead and enjoy yourself, nobody is stopping you. I will only do such when I know I can afford them not because I want to please somebody or I want to be validated.
QUOTE:
Celebrity is not a career but a reward of the work that you are doing well. If you’re doing your work well people will know and appreciate you.
English (US) ·