Not everyone can create content — Dr Frick

Fred Otite also known as Doctor Frick, is the Field Marshall of humour and sense. He is a stand up comic, self-acclaimed event surgeon, actor, content creator and a relationship strategist. He speaks with ROTIMI IGE, about the comedy industry and what creatives must do to survive copyright violator infringement in Nigeria.

Few days ago, the world celebrated Intellectual Property (IP) day. As you have always talked about increased awareness for IP, what is your position today?

I like that. You said the world celebrated. Did we celebrate? Let the Nigerian in me respond to your question with another first. What is the level of awareness of intellectual property in Nigeria? As low as almost zero. Not to sound too critical or pessimistic, I know there have been some efforts made to bring to fore intellectual property with special focus on literary and artistic works. In lay man’s terms, entertainment which we are known for. Unfortunately for  a system that does nothing about basic rights infringement, it would be far-fetched talking about IP. The only IP we know in Nigeria is Internet protocol and not Intellectual property. Are there laws? Yes. Are there specialised institutions to see to the effectiveness of these laws?

Yes but as with most laws in our country, they are just mummified in the constitution. The Nigerian movie industry has battled piracy for long with no tangible success. Thanks to social media and frameworks like Netflix and Co that reduced this scourge. That’s for music and movies though. In our own space as comics and content creators, plagiarism has become a menace. And seeing that copyright laws have no hold as such on culprits in our terra firma, it continues to thrive with the industry bearing the consequences. Having said this much, my position is that there should be public awareness of IP laws with emphasis on the penalties of defaulting these laws, the process of securing your IP within the law should be simple and affordable and there should be cases of culprits dealt with accordingly. This way, creative minds will be encouraged to work hard, be original and then respect and resources would accrue to whom it is due.

What potential do you see for creatives in Nigeria?

Nigeria is about the most creative nation in the world considering the level of hardship and our limited resources so I can say with my full spinal chest that we have huge potentials. Unfortunately potentials have to go kinectic with the help of resources and  enabling environment. We have guys making waves globally. Ikorodu Bois have brought global acclaim to Nigeria through their low budget remakes of viral clips, several content creators  have created trends across Africa and the world, we now have influencers and celebrities via Instagram and tiktok especially. These are testaments to the level of creativity, hard work and potentials we possess but like I said, if we don’t enable these potentials and maximise them, they may go to waste.

Your thoughts on regulation especially for skit makers who do not mostly regard IP theft as a crime…

There is need for regulation in every sector of the industry and not just for skit makers. A lot of my stand up folks are embittered because some skit makers just convert their materials to scripts and whilst your stand up performance of the said material sits at 70 views, the skit maker, having brought the material to life hits thousands or even millions of views and you have no way of claiming the material. If only skit makers sought permission, maybe things would be less tense between the two sectors but the skit maker might have a case by saying he doesn’t know the original owner of the material having heard the joke from different comedians. This is why some comics go as far as assaulting whoever they catch earning laughter or cashing out with their materials.

Do you think that everyone is a content creator?

This is not a case of I can do all things through Christ… No! Not everyone can create contents. Yes, content creation is the new oil but not everyone is equipped with the resources required for the exploration of this oil. Some will definitely die at the rig. Some will sink. Content creation is not holding your phone and having data to post whatever you type or record. As with crude oil that goes through exploration, refinery and marketing, same goes for content creation. Content creation is a process and unfortunately, most youths lack the patience and perseverance associated with process.Idea curation, format strategy, choice of medium of expression, actual production and publishing are not beans. Only those with the grit, passion, and willpower can excel in the exploration of this new oil. Of course it appears fun when you see the finished product but ask about the process, you will marvel beyond Disney.

Do you think the influx of social media giants will help millions of youths in Nigeria access expression and funding for their talents?

Absolutely. It will help a great deal. The influx is good news. A lot of people will benefit from it. More people may miss out for various reasons especially lack of proper information and corruption. There are always human factors ready to hamper creative progress in this country however, trust Nigerians, we always thrive against all odds so a good number of Nigerian youths will gain fame and wealth in a bit.

Have you tapped into these opportunities?

I’m plunging myself full time into edutaining contents full time now. I’m making sure to align gradually with some friendly and open-minded big players in the social media space so watch out for me. When I’m off stage, I’m online. Just equipping myself with relevant knowledge so I don’t get ripped off or used and so I can maximise every resource and opportunity that come my way.

Challenges you have faced?

There will always be challenges but according to my soro soke folks, we what? We meeuuve!I don’t want to start mentioning unhealthy competition, rivalry, division, the ever changing social media algorithms amongst others. They all sound like excuses as long as some people are surmounting these challenges. So I just have to learn whatever it takes to also thrash every obstacle and climb to the zenith of greatness.

Future projects

Lots of projects ahead of me so the future is loaded. My stand up special for 2022 is loading, after that, I’m starting my campaign against domestic abuse (from physical to emotional and more). I’m also starting a new content for social media. Never seen before. I know we have seen it all on social media in terms of character invention but this is new and different so keep your fingers crossed.

Past events curated by you?

I started comedy almost two decades ago when I stopped joking about it and I took it seriously. Before then it used to be about dissing people which earned me a lot of smacking but with time, I found a way to hone my sense of humour and moved to stand up. My Emcee career started much later precisely 2007 when I hosted my first wedding. I’d done some low profile gigs before then to test my wits and courage but my first landmark event was the wedding. Since then it’s been from event to event and from higher price to higher price.

I host my own comedy special “Fricking Moments” annually in the second half of the year (something you should look forward to). I also host an annual Valentine’s dinner for couples tagged Loved Up, a mandate given to me by God to help rekindle love and rebuild homes. It’s a buffet spiced with comedy, music and home building varieties. I’ve also been privileged to share the stage with some of  the biggest names in the entertainment industry, with some offering me the special privilege of being the host.

Tell us a bit more about yourself?

I’m your favourite observational, ethical and intellectual comedian and creative event host from weddings to birthdays, book launches to corporate gigs, concerts to burials. I am the first of four children, raised by a Christian mother, a B.Sc Ed Biology holder, married to the most amazing woman on the planet, a swimmer and ping pong player.

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