Veteran comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has revealed the unlikely circumstances that launched his comedy career, tracing his entertainment journey back to a dramatic incident involving a Congo music striptease performance at his university in the late 1980s.
The comedy icon in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise, shared the story of how he accidentally discovered his calling during what was supposed to be just another night out as a student at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma campus.
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Alibaba set the scene by describing the cultural atmosphere of Nigeria in the mid-to-late 1980s, when Congolese music experienced a major revival in the country.
“Some lady from, and bear in mind that between 1987 and 1988, the 1986 and 1987, there was a new lease of life for Congo music in Nigeria. People embraced Congo music, and so they brought all their dancers as well. And so those dancers were all coming to, they were infiltrating, in fact, they even went into the churches,” Alibaba recalled.
He noted how pervasive the musical influence became: “People were playing Makosa songs.”
The turning point came during a performance by a Congo striptease dancer at his school. What was meant to be an evening’s entertainment quickly descended into chaos when local audience members, unfamiliar with such performances, created an uproar.
“Now, one of those striptease ladies came to our school in Ekpoma, and when she was, in fact, this hall was full, and when it was time for her to then undress totally, she ran off the stage because, you know, some of the, some local people like us had not seen anybody like that in nude form. And so some of them ran on stage, and so the girl was afraid and ran off,” the comedian explained.
With the performance in disarray and the audience restless, organizers desperately needed someone to calm the situation. That’s when Alibaba’s friend approached him with an unusual request.
“And they said they needed somebody to come just pacify the people and get them to calm down so the show can continue. And somebody came to me, so Pesio Koje came and said, Ali, can you help us just pacify the audience and let them get back? And so that was how I started emceeing and cracking jokes. So to pacify the people, I had to start doing jokes, yapping everyone,” he revealed.
What began as a favour to help restore order became a life-changing revelation for the young student. Alibaba described the immediate connection he felt with performing.
“But you see, that day was the turning point. I needed to say that that was the turning point because as soon as I got on stage, I was home. I felt at home. I knew this was what I wanted to do. I started entertaining,” he said.
The impact was immediate and profound. “Now, don’t forget that I just got a ticket to attend the show. But from that day on, no show held in school without me.”
This spontaneous debut marked the beginning of what would become one of Nigeria’s most successful comedy careers. Alibaba has since become a household name in Nigerian entertainment, known for his wit, social commentary, and ability to connect with audiences across the country.
