INITIATOR and chief organiser of ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’, K. O. Baba Jornsen, has said the annual comedy show in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, has assumed a global brand due to steady introduction of breakout stars with successive editions.

K.O. Baba gave the explanation as android phone brand, Sollong, leads top sponsors to launch Port Harcourt comedy into the global stage with ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ to stream live to United States and United Kingdom audience in the 2026 edition.

At the event’s logo and Sollong’s new phone unveiling in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Port Harcourt ace comedian said the 2026 event will be held Easter Monday with the theme, “The Mayor and the 12 Kings.”

He said, “My desire is to promote local content and show that you must not have to move over to Lagos as only way to succeed in the entertainment industry. It makes the local talents better and bigger. We want to show that your environment cannot limit you. Only you can limit yourself.”

As further gain for his push for global rcognition, teams from the United Nations agencies, he revealed, have identified him and co comedian as platforms that have achieved consistency and strong enough to impact the youths positively.

The Akwa Ibom-born but Diobu, Port Harcourt brought up said he is intentional about defying the notion that a talent must drift into Lagos to succeed in the entertainment industry, stressing, “Without fleeing to Lagos, I have made it, and I want to make it bigger in April 2026 with big brandsnow backing us.

“We shall stream the show in 12 cities and each city will produce a top comedian to participate. Activities will stretch to two days but main comedy day will be one day, Easter Monday.

“Port Harcourt will no longer play second fiddle as far as Comedy is concerned. We give our sponsors huge visibility, not just on the brochure but on about 200 billboards around the city for 2026.”

With tickets ranging from N10,000 to N10m, K.O Baba said, “We want to try many new things especially streaming to 12 cities, two days event, and need to create things beyond comedy. We want to dare the impossible, presenting sponsors as we go close to event.”

Lead sponsor, Sollong Web 3 Phone group, led by Capt Solomon Esor (rtd), CEO, Crypto Consulting Ltd, said his foreign partners were impressed with the show in PH and had to initiate the endorsement interest.

Highlighting features of the new phone selling as high as N7.2Million, Eremi Ene, said, “We have a phone that pays you 1% of cost of purchase every day for life. It works with Invidia, works by buying idle space in your phone to sell to other countries that do not have enough.”