Solomon Nwoke
Babatunde Ojobaro popularly known as Mister Rain is a multi talented entertainer
spanning over 20 years (this is inclusive of years in the university) . Known for his knack for capacity building, social change, community development and anything that encourages personal and communal growth and performing comedy on a regular show adding that Comedy shows in Nigeria are goldmine that is yet to achieve its full potentials. In this interactive interview, Mr Rain spoke so much about the comedy entertainment in Nigeria. Happy reading.

What spurred your upcoming one man comedy show?

As a multi talented individual, I have always believed that our talents can go way beyond what it looks like. For instance, as a comedian, I believe I am more than just making people laugh. One of my favorite quotes says “If you can make them laugh, you can get their attention, and if you can get their attention, you can tell them anything.”. I believe there’s so much that can be done with the opportunity of having a lot of people listening to you at the same time. I am a sucker for capacity building, social change, community development and anything that encourages personal and communal growth and performing comedy on a regular show where you get just 5-10 minutes doesn’t give me enough time to really preach my message while making people laugh.
So I decided to curate my comedy show, which will give me enough time to make them laugh while touching on issues that can preach my ideals that generally addresses the essence of personal and communal growth.
I also wanted to do something different from the usual, something that will challenge me to give the whole of myself to my craft and performance and then I feel like it gives me the opportunity to service the audience and clients in my niche satisfactorily.

What have been the challenges bringing the one man comedy show to reality?

Every endeavour has its own challenges, but in the case of the one man comedy show comes with the challenge of changing the narratives.
People are used to comedy shows with variety of comedians which is not bad at all and sometimes it feels like good values for their time and money compared to just coming to sit down for just one person who is not even a popular figure in that sense. So yes, having to convince people to pick a one man comedy show for a fee that can get them into another comedy show with a variety of comedians is a top-notch challenge.
The other challenge would definitely be getting the full attention of your guest as the only comedian for the advertised duration. You have to serve varieties as an individual; that’s some very hard work, but with the track record of five successful one man comedy shows, that challenge has been mastered and overcome

What’s your assessment of comedy and comedy shows in Nigeria?

Comedy shows in Nigeria are goldmine. It is yet to achieve its full potential, but it has achieved a very huge milestone in the past decade, and the improvement cannot be ignored.

What aspect of comedy do you think is not explored? “

I feel like these comedy styles; satire, farce, parody and slapstick are the most popular that have been explored quite a lot to a certain extent and to be honest, they have worked for the people who have distinctively employed any of or all of them in their stand-up comedy style. Other comedy styles like comedy of humor, classical comedy, comedy of errors, Romantic Comedy, and a few others are more in tune for tv, drama, and films than it is to stand up comedy. However, when it comes to stand-up comedy, more comedians should embrace the one man comedy, this is a litmus test not necessarily for how good the person is but it is a test. It paints you as a comedian in a more brilliant light. It could also test how popular or not you are amongst many other things

Can comedy serve as an export for Nigeria? How can this be achieved?

Oh, comedy is already an export for Nigeria. I could name a lot of comedians who have put the Nigeria Comedy Scene on the international map. It can be better than it is now, but it is already an export.

How long have you been in the entertainment industry?

I have always been an entertainer all my life. I started out as a dancer. Dancing for fun and entertaining people as a very young boy, then got into acting and comedy in the university as far back as 2003, and then I combined all three. In fact, it became so serious after my first degree. I had to take JAMB again to study Theatre Arts, and I have never looked back since then. As an award winning radio presenter, actor for screen, director and producer for theatre, a stand up comedian, I would cumulatively say I have been in entertainment for more than 20 years (this is inclusive of my years in the university)
As a comedian and actor, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced over the years?

I believe everyone who does something wants to either be the best at it or get due recognition or just be at that space where a lot of people can reckon with your work and sometimes when that doesn’t happen either as fast as you want or as large, you may begin to worry but again there are a lot of other talents jostling for the same thing. The ripple effect of this is, when one is not at that stage yet, getting funding and sponsorship may become a very big deal and it can hinder personal projects and stuff like that and if one is not even careful, it can hinder growth and I considered that a very huge challenge for a long time but not anymore.

How were you able to overcome the challenges?

I know that not everyone can be an RMD or an Ali Baba but you can carve your own niche, build your own client and audience base, begin to nurture and service them satisfactorily and that’s what I have been doing in the last couple of years. As a comedian, I am not as popular as most comedians, but all my stand-up comedy shows are usually sold out weeks before the show. I don’t know how many comedians that can do a one man comedy show in October and November of the same year in the same city, charging different fees per show and still sell out the auditorium for both shows but I did.
As an actor, especially for stage and theatre, my shows are also usually sold out. A very recent instance is my participation at the Lagos International Theatre Festival and even the Lagos Fringe, the play “Who Tif Mona Lisa?” Where I featured as an actor was a massive success.
So the idea is, I don’t want to rule the world; I want to rule my world, and that’s how I’m able to constantly overcome the challenges.
How Many One Man Comedy Show have you done so far.,,,?..

I have done seven Comedy Specials..
The first time was in 2010 back in the University days. I just wanted to test my wits and popularity on campus back then, and it was the best show on campus.
Then, I focused on stage and theatre shows, directing and producing mind-blowing theatre productions. Some of them went on campus tours; one time, I went on Southwest Tour.
Then, in 2022, I decided I wanted to do something different in the comedy space and ran the one man comedy show in Ibadan and then came to Lagos to replicate it.
In 2023, I did the same in Ibadan and Lagos.
In 2024, I have done two of them in the space of two months, and all of them were sold out shows

How are you managing doing a comedy show, being an actor on TV series and films, and also directing and producing for theatre?

First, I’m grateful to GOD for the diverse gifts and talents I have been blessed with.
Then, I am someone who plans ahead. I have outlined the things I want to do per time, and I do my best to follow the outline. I always think to myself, if I have the talent for these and I can pull it off, why waste it?
And I am grateful I have built a fanbase that will readily jump on whatever it is I’m cooking per time because over time, I have earned their trust by executing excellent projects.

By Solomon Nwoke

Babatunde Ojobaro popularly known as Mister Rain is a multi talented entertainer
spanning over 20 years (this is inclusive of years in the university) . Known for his knack for capacity building, social change, community development and anything that encourages personal and communal growth and performing comedy on a regular show adding that Comedy shows in Nigeria are goldmine that is yet to achieve its full potentials. In this interactive interview, Mr Rain spoke so much about the comedy entertainment in Nigeria. Happy reading.

What spurred your upcoming one man comedy show?

As a multi talented individual, I have always believed that our talents can go way beyond what it looks like. For instance, as a comedian, I believe I am more than just making people laugh. One of my favorite quotes says “If you can make them laugh, you can get their attention, and if you can get their attention, you can tell them anything.”. I believe there’s so much that can be done with the opportunity of having a lot of people listening to you at the same time. I am a sucker for capacity building, social change, community development and anything that encourages personal and communal growth and performing comedy on a regular show where you get just 5-10 minutes doesn’t give me enough time to really preach my message while making people laugh.

So I decided to curate my comedy show, which will give me enough time to make them laugh while touching on issues that can preach my ideals that generally addresses the essence of personal and communal growth.

I also wanted to do something different from the usual, something that will challenge me to give the whole of myself to my craft and performance and then I feel like it gives me the opportunity to service the audience and clients in my niche satisfactorily.

What have been the challenges bringing the one man comedy show to reality?

Every endeavour has its own challenges, but in the case of the one man comedy show comes with the challenge of changing the narratives.

People are used to comedy shows with variety of comedians which is not bad at all and sometimes it feels like good values for their time and money compared to just coming to sit down for just one person who is not even a popular figure in that sense. So yes, having to convince people to pick a one man comedy show for a fee that can get them into another comedy show with a variety of comedians is a top-notch challenge.
The other challenge would definitely be getting the full attention of your guest as the only comedian for the advertised duration. You have to serve varieties as an individual; that’s some very hard work, but with the track record of five successful one man comedy shows, that challenge has been mastered and overcome

What’s your assessment of comedy and comedy shows in Nigeria?

Comedy shows in Nigeria are goldmine. It is yet to achieve its full potential, but it has achieved a very huge milestone in the past decade, and the improvement cannot be ignored.

What aspect of comedy do you think is not explored? “

I feel like these comedy styles; satire, farce, parody and slapstick are the most popular that have been explored quite a lot to a certain extent and to be honest, they have worked for the people who have distinctively employed any of or all of them in their stand-up comedy style. Other comedy styles like comedy of humor, classical comedy, comedy of errors, Romantic Comedy, and a few others are more in tune for tv, drama, and films than it is to stand up comedy. However, when it comes to stand-up comedy, more comedians should embrace the one man comedy, this is a litmus test not necessarily for how good the person is but it is a test. It paints you as a comedian in a more brilliant light. It could also test how popular or not you are amongst many other things

Can comedy serve as an export for Nigeria? How can this be achieved?

Oh, comedy is already an export for Nigeria. I could name a lot of comedians who have put the Nigeria Comedy Scene on the international map. It can be better than it is now, but it is already an export.

How long have you been in the entertainment industry?

I have always been an entertainer all my life. I started out as a dancer. Dancing for fun and entertaining people as a very young boy, then got into acting and comedy in the university as far back as 2003, and then I combined all three. In fact, it became so serious after my first degree. I had to take JAMB again to study Theatre Arts, and I have never looked back since then. As an award winning radio presenter, actor for screen, director and producer for theatre, a stand up comedian, I would cumulatively say I have been in entertainment for more than 20 years (this is inclusive of my years in the university)
As a comedian and actor, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced over the years?

I believe everyone who does something wants to either be the best at it or get due recognition or just be at that space where a lot of people can reckon with your work and sometimes when that doesn’t happen either as fast as you want or as large, you may begin to worry but again there are a lot of other talents jostling for the same thing. The ripple effect of this is, when one is not at that stage yet, getting funding and sponsorship may become a very big deal and it can hinder personal projects and stuff like that and if one is not even careful, it can hinder growth and I considered that a very huge challenge for a long time but not anymore.

How were you able to overcome the challenges?

I know that not everyone can be an RMD or an Ali Baba but you can carve your own niche, build your own client and audience base, begin to nurture and service them satisfactorily and that’s what I have been doing in the last couple of years. As a comedian, I am not as popular as most comedians, but all my stand-up comedy shows are usually sold out weeks before the show. I don’t know how many comedians that can do a one man comedy show in October and November of the same year in the same city, charging different fees per show and still sell out the auditorium for both shows but I did.

As an actor, especially for stage and theatre, my shows are also usually sold out. A very recent instance is my participation at the Lagos International Theatre Festival and even the Lagos Fringe, the play “Who Tif Mona Lisa?” Where I featured as an actor was a massive success.
So the idea is, I don’t want to rule the world; I want to rule my world, and that’s how I’m able to constantly overcome the challenges.
How Many One Man Comedy Show have you done so far.,,,?..

I have done seven Comedy Specials..
The first time was in 2010 back in the University days. I just wanted to test my wits and popularity on campus back then, and it was the best show on campus.
Then, I focused on stage and theatre shows, directing and producing mind-blowing theatre productions. Some of them went on campus tours; one time, I went on Southwest Tour.

Then, in 2022, I decided I wanted to do something different in the comedy space and ran the one man comedy show in Ibadan and then came to Lagos to replicate it.

In 2023, I did the same in Ibadan and Lagos.
In 2024, I have done two of them in the space of two months, and all of them were sold out shows

How are you managing doing a comedy show, being an actor on TV series and films, and also directing and producing for theatre?

First, I’m grateful to GOD for the diverse gifts and talents I have been blessed with.
Then, I am someone who plans ahead. I have outlined the things I want to do per time, and I do my best to follow the outline. I always think to myself, if I have the talent for these and I can pull it off, why waste it?
And I am grateful I have built a fanbase that will readily jump on whatever it is I’m cooking per time because over time, I have earned their trust by executing excellent projects.