Interesting Read, Comedian Alibaba Says...

Only Fools Believe One Career Is Better Than The Other...

Nigerian comedian, Alibaba took to his Facebook page to address the discrimination of careers and its impact on people lives.

“Over the years, it's become very clear, that some people still believe, that there are certain careers that are second class, even when the practitioners in the career make more than them, who consider themselves as the ONLY PROFESSIONALS. These crop of people are the people who are worst off in the value chain of productivity in any society. 

It's interesting to know that, those who think that their careers ONLY are the ones that should be regarded as the most important, forget that they were taught by a TEACHER! Some also easily forget that they are tended to by a DOCTOR or NURSE when the fall ill. And considering that they are sick and of unwell minds most of the time, they should actually employ PSYCHIATRIST permanently. 

Many have been attacked by armed robbers, hired assassins and thugs, and the only person they could call at the time is a POLICEMAN. They did not call a STOCKBROKER, or an ACCOUNTANT. 

To each person God has given a talent and the respect for each person's professional calling is the reason why society grows. Occupational racism is why we don't appreciate other people's professions. It's even worse when we think our own calling is the best. 

My dad had wanted me to read LAW, become a practicing LAWYER. Not just for the dignity that LAWYERS had, but for the number of opportunities that will open up when you are in the job market. 

My dad believed and I agree, that any job you decide to take up, must give you JOB SATISFACTION. Secondly, a chosen career, must put FOOD ON THE TABLE. Because you must refresh yourself, your profession must be one that will guarantee you have a ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD. Another important thing your life calling must do for you is to give you RECOGNITION, APPRECIATION, FAME AND RELEVANCE. When I thought my dad was done, he added, your work must be able to ENSURE AND INSURE YOUR FUTURE. 

He knew I was lost, so he explained. You must be able to keep something on the side for rainy days. Another thing is your children are your future, so your job should be able to take care of them, so that when you are in the future, they begin to pay back. Children are like insurance policies. What you spend on them is premium. Still on the future matter, God said in the 10 COMMANDMENTS, that we should HONOUR our parents so that our days in life WILL BE LONGER. 

Finally, a job should make you make heaven. Because ultimately we will go see God. But the bottom line of that last one is you should not take on a job that will lead you to sin or shake your moral upbringing.
In a sense, all of the above, according to my dad is why anyone works. 

Everybody works and hustle for those goals. Well except you don't believe in God. 

Fortunately, I jettisoned the idea of reading law, when I discovered COMEDY. I had to, because I saw a brighter future in comedy, than I saw in LAW. And after weighing the potentials and the talent and ability I found in me, it was just the right thing to do. 

No regrets whatsoever. 

In fact, I can boldly say, that I may not have earned as much as I would have if I had read law, but then again, we will never find out. But I can draw a parallel with some of my colleagues who left to read law, while I stuck with RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND PHILOSOPHY... I AM DOING BETTER THAT 85% OF THEM. I typed that in caps because it's the reality. Let them sue me. 

The story of how we moved heaven and the earth to take the art form called COMEDY to a recognizable position of a must have at nearly every event is know to many. We struggled to make it a service. Because service is what people pay for not the talent. So let's not belabour that. 

In the years to follow, many young NIGERIANS today call themselves COMEDIANS. And they say that with a sense of pride. Because, they also have started doing better than their peers back in school who read, ENGINEERING, STATISTICS, BANKING AND FINANCE, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, MARKETING, ACCOUNTANCY, MASS COMMUNICATION, PHARMACY, LAW, MEDICINE.... ETC. 

It will interest you to know that some of the comedians today, actually have some of the degrees listed above (EXCEPT ETC), but after weighing the options, dropped them degrees to be JESTERS. Don't know if you know this, but COMEDIANS have come to the financial rescue of some of their school mates, who read some of these ALMIGHTY COURSES listed above. And when they come looking for those assistances, the fact that the benefactor is a comedian pales to nothing. The assistance is all that matters. 

Comedians have also become employers of labour. And there are several people who depend on what they do, to survive. From bouncers, event managers, lawyers, drivers, artiste managers, caterers, event venue owners, graphic artistes, fashion designers, accountants, real estate agents, contractors car dealers... The list is endless. 

It's important that I mention here, that that there are people who read LAW, ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE... WHO ARE NOW IN MY BUSINESS OR ALLIED BUSINESSES. Yewande ZACCHEUS, a lawyer, quit banking to become an events planner. Dr Henry Nzeku doesn't practice medicine. So, it's not about what you have read, but what you can contribute to the society and how much impact you have made on others who look up to you and have a means of livelihood today because you were instrumental in their becoming someone. 

I have had to at several times, back in the days, grant interviews and mention figures of how much I earned as a comedian, just to get some doubting thomases to give my job some credit. But as they say, you can't school a fool no matter the tool you use. So I had to stop bragging about what I earned as a comedian. It didn't take long. When the younger comedians took the stage, it became obvious to many how much money we earned. Some people are very quick to compare what a comedian earns when they are negotiating. They do that because they can not believe the comedians earn that mind blowing fee. As I learnt, many years back, leave them doubting beefers, one day, they will need your services. Them go repent. 

In the beginning, an Assistant Director of the SECURITY AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION told in the early 90s, "You think you can walk in here, and ask for N15000 to crack jokes at a 3 hour event and walk out just like that" years later I was to see him and I said I actually can walk out now, with that 15000 but it will be with a $ sign. He apologized. 

As I write, several comedians, even the smallest earning comedian who is busy, would have pocketed over 200k over the weekend. Some core professionals who are parading themselves as political beggars would still be waiting for crumbs. Yet the Comedian is still called a jester. Laughing their way to the bank is not a saying. It's a way of life. 

We may still be in the informal sector, but hey... You can't play us down. We are earning a living legitimately, and we do our job well. Which is different from some whose reasoning are now clouded "by what's in it for me" 

Be guided. 

Moving on, my point as always, is that what ever profession you find yourself in, it is what you are bringing to the table that makes the difference. It's not whether you had shoes, lived on a famous street, had rich parents, studied in Harvard, had a PHD or have an accent. The true person you are is the real value you bring on board. 

This also brings to mind the point I make about people who work with, work for or work on our leaders. The kind of people they are determines what they feed the leader in a position of authority.
I have come to face this in the last few days squarely, when I had the opportunity to ask Mr President the question of what are the dynamics and structure of his administration to fight Piracy?
In asking the question, I had first made GEJ, UNDERSTAND that some of our colleagues were the ones that had upset me, because they think the problem of the entertainment sector was funding. I then told him that even if he gave us 30billion, all the Pirates need is one creative material. And nothing will be done. 

Days later, some of these same people that I told Mr President are upsetting me, would go to him, to tell him how they are sorry that I was upset with him. Thank God for 2 of his Aides and his ADC, who later mentioned to him that the people who just came to meet him wanted to turn the facts on its head. As I hear, the video was played back and GEJ, heard me say, I AM VERY UPSET WITH MY COLLEGUES WHO THINK ITS ABOUT RUNNING TO ABUJA FOR FUNDS.
Then the blame game changed. It was no more about how angry I was at them, (since they could not now convince GEJ that I was angry at him) it was now a case of how I disrespected the President by walking out on him, instead of standing there till he answered the question. 

The answer of Mr President was golden. "BUT HE HAD ASKED HIS QUESTION NA?" 

So, on Sunday, the ADC and the presidential aides, especially Kingsley Kuku and Amaju Pinnick, who believed in my position that our Showbiz industry needed a lifeline, but not cash line, insisted I must do the dinner in celebration of the Achievements of Nigeria in Sports. It's amazing how people outside my industry see what our problems are, yet we a lost in the sea of it. And we can't swim! 

Anyway, I obliged. Besides they were paying.
It became clear again how as entertainers some of us have lost some core values. We have moved from the position of people giving the society something to think about, to a point of anything for the boys?! 

On sunday night at Eko Hotel, The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, gave 10million NAIRA to GEJ, to support the fallen heroes who are battling the BOKO Haram scourge. In a proper industry, Showbiz should have been able to come together and do 200million. Let nobody even try telling me of the photo ops that was sponsored showing celebrities in pictures with the troops. 

As I announced the presentation of the check, i knew it will take a while... For things to dawn on some of my colleagues. Because they have not only missed it, they do not even want to agree that they have missed it.
I am happy I spoke with GEJ, and I also now, more than ever before agree that 

Na we dey do ourselves. 

What am I saying SEF? I am just a comedian!”