Skit making is not stand-up comedy —Herbegbeyin

Blessed with abilities to sing, crack jokes and proffer solutions, stand-up comedian, OyewoleAdeniran, otherwise known as Herbegbeyin has been in the entertainment industry for more than a decade and has become a known name with his brand of comedy. In this interview by SEGUN ADEBAYO, he speaks about how he combines comedy, music and other things.

You are a comedian, an accountant and music director. That’s a lot of commitments from you into different crafts. How have you been coping?

I have been coping by the grace of God. All three are demanding individually but I have enjoyed uncommon grace from God to run with all three and I’m grateful to God for that. Though I had to sacrifice my time a lot for that and it is really a blessing doing this.

Being accountant is tasking on its own, what was the attraction to accounting in the first place?

Growing up I had always known I would be an accountant. Not because I saw it as my way of becoming rich, but I love to know more about it. As someone who loves things/records to be kept in a well and organised manner, I was convinced later on that God wanted me to learn from that experience. My late mum would always call me “my accountant” even while I was still in the “JSS” class. To the glory of God I graduated as the president of my department and Second best student in the department.

At what point did you decide to switch to comedy?

Comedy was in-built; I will only say I went professional in the year 2010, learning the science behind stand-up comedy and all it entails. Till date, we are still growing and developing the craft so expect the best from me always. I started skit making in 2016 and till date it’s been a wonderful journey.

With music also being what you love doing; you seem to be a complete package for anyone who needs your services. Does this not come with clash of interests?

By God’s grace I’m a complete package of entertainment. This has helped my career tremendously. It has placed me on very huge platforms and I’m grateful to Herbegbeyin Nation for that. They share my contents and also refer me for events.

In Lagos where you operate, there are many creative people also fighting for space and attention. What makes you different?

What God has placed inside of me is unique, valuable and incomparable. I don’t need to fight for space and attention. Through consistency, originality and creativity, I have been able to carve a niche for my brand and by God’s grace we are growing. Just like my wonderful friend will say, If they sideline you, get up and draw your own line.

How do you deal with the competition as you can’t deny there’s not competition in the industry?

Yes, there is competition in the industry. However, a wise man will not compete with those who do not know where he is going. Everyone’s place in Destiny is different. I think it is lack of purpose and direction that makes people use the achievements of other people to measure their own success. I will rather collaborate with my colleagues than compete. I am dedicated to competing with myself every day. I just want to be a better person than I was yesterday. I think readers should do the same.

When you look at what comedy industry has become today and how it used to be, do you think the growth has been positive for the industry?

The industry has grown to become a multi-billion naira industry today and that is a sign of undeniable progress. I can’t but appreciate the effort and input of wonderful people like King AliBaba, Ay, Basketmouth, Okey Bakassi, Julius Agwu, I go dye, Klint da drunk, Gandoki, Koffi Da Guru, Teju Babyface and many others who made the industry appreciable today. The Nigerian comedy industry has grown to a point where it’s marketable to international platforms. Today we have seen many Nigerian comedians step out of the shore of the country to host comedy shows in different countries and they recorded huge successes.

What do you make of the online comedians who are trying to break into the mainstream comedy? People believe they don’t have what it takes…

Skit Making is not stand-up comedy. The use of effects, sound track and other technical concoctions on a short video to make people laugh is not a justifiable ground to show the person is talented. While Comedy is divided into many genres, being a skit maker does not qualify you automatically to be a stand-up comedian. Some are gifted to be able to do well in both. It is important that your self esteem is not damaged as a comedian. What people say about you does not matter. What do you say about yourself. If you know you have it … go for it.

As music expert, why not focus mainly on music?

Laughs) … For me, Music and Comedy is inseparable. Even at Rehearsals, I have a way of cracking people up. I have written many music comedy contents and I am working on more. I would have disappointed the expectations of the maker of heaven and earth who gave me the talent and ability to do music and Comedy plus other things well.

How has it been staging your popular show Herbegbeyin Undiluted over the years?

The experience has been awesome. It has opened doors for me in the industry and showcased me to prominent Nigerians. It’s an honour to see people coming together to have a wonderful time in a decent way.

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What brought about the name of the show?

Some know me as a comedian/mc others know me as a musician, the name of the show suggests what you are likely to get when you attend. Showcasing the grace I have as a comedian, musician, mc.

What should your audience expect this time that is different from what they are used to?

This year, it will be comedy, music and games. There will be gifts for those who participated. HERBEGBEYIN UNDILUTED 4.0 will be super entertaining and Engaging. This year we will have Top comedians in the industry as well as very vibrant musicians.

How successful are you doing comedy?

I am grateful to God for the success I have recorded and I am hoping to do more for myself and the people around the globe. The fact that my gift is blessing people makes me happy. Impacting lives in a wonderful way gives me Joy.