By Benjamin Njoku

Comedy business is bound to take a new dimension as a pioneer filmmaker and comedy merchant extra-ordinaire, Opa Williams has unveiled plans to export his brainchild comedy show, “ Nite of a Thousand Laughs”to other African countries . The countries include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia amongst others.

Opa Willaims

Opa made this disclosure at a press parley during the weekend. He stated that he has a desire to create a Nigerian entertainment brand which will be comparable to that of the American Idol, currently replicated in Africa today.

The comedy merchant who recently staged a come back on both cable and network stations with three brand new and scintillating soap operas; ‘Just The Two Of Us” , “Living Next To You” and “Abelejanyan” (Yoruba)noted that having conquered the Nigerian market with his comedy show, crossing the borders will enable him to refocus, and also, assume the status of a multi-national comedy merchant.

“Actually, I’m taking a bold step to expand my reach in the area of comedy business. Having conquered the Nigerian market, I’m dreaming of crossing the borders with my comedy show. I want to be regarded as a multi-national comedy merchant.” he stated.

According to Opa, he plans to flag off the show this year, in countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia amongst other African countries.

“This year, I’m starting off with East Africa countries like Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. I’m going to these countries to develop the comedy business. I developed comedy in Nigeria, before “Nite of a Thousand Laughs”, there was concert comedy in Nigeria. In fact, the brand is the only African concert comedy in history.”

“I want to create a Nigerian entertainment brand just as Coke is an American soft drink; Idol West Africa originated from American Idol. Who Wants to be a Millionaire”is also a foreign entertainment property.

Since we have succeeded in making “ Nite of a Thousand Laughs” a national brand, I have decided also to make the project an international brand. Based on this reasoning, we toured around west African countries, East and Central Africa. My vision is to take “A Nite of a 1000 Laughs”as a multi-national brand to other African countries.”

“Comedy has no barriers, I mean laugh is laugh, and what will make you laugh will also make me laugh if you step into my own environment. Now, I have decided to start hosting “Nite of a Thousand Laughs” internationally”

Opa disclosed further that already, he is working with one of the biggest media organisations based in East Africa to execute this new project. He described himself as “a comedy merchant”, adding that his mission is to help develop comedy in these countries.“I’m not a comedian, but I owe comedy property. I invent comedy and also, I grow comedy. I don’t want a situation where I continue to take Nigerian comedians abroad for a show.”

“At the moment, we are planning to use 70 percent Nigerian comedians and 30 percent local content. These number will change with time in favour of the local comedians. But the good news is that, “Night of a Thousand Laugh” henceforth will be staged in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Liberia, Uganda and other African countries. We intend to grow the local content with our own brands of comedians. We have reached an agreement to partner one of the biggest media organisations in East Africa.’ he added.

Opa Williams is indisputably the father of modern Nigerian stand-up comedy. But for the revolution he began some 15 years ago, there wouldn’t have been anything like the comedy business in Africa. Perhaps, we would not have had the steady influx of comedians that are making people crack their ribs on a daily basis now and making money.

His comedy show, Nite of A Thousand Laughs is no doubt the biggest in the country at the moment, it is a periodic festival that people look forward to in all the major cities in Nigeria, Europe, South Africa and America. In the movie industry where he began his artistic career, Williams has left his mark there too because he is among the few film makers that make didactic films.