One of Nigeria’s most hilarious comedians and master compere, Akuidolo Orevoghene, fondly referred to as FOREVER, said it was a full time adventure touring around Europe with legendary comedian Basketmouth.
FOREVER, who is often regarded as a world-class master compere because of his skillful way of holding his audience spellbound, said that taking comedy to foreign cultures is an experience that broadens ones mind and helps build string character and career in the long run.
Speaking about the tour, which he has done two years in a row, he said, “Touring with Basketmouth in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and Europe has been really amazing. It is a really beautiful adventure as you get to experience the vast culture of the world. Aside from the jokes and shows, your mind is broadened as to the differences in clime, culture and race, and of course, making people of all races laugh is super fulfilling.”
On the fact that it may be a bit tricky making people of other cultures, that are not Nigerians laugh, the engineering graduate from Institute of Management and Technology, IMT Enugu explained that the desire to laugh is already in everyone, you just have to find what they regard as funny.
“The honest truth is that everyone wants to laugh and be happy. Obviously, they are not Nigerians, this means that you have to do a lot more of research and prepare differently for them. Once you get your set intact, the laughter would naturally flow,” he said
He continued, “I think they just want to hear your story. They want to see the world from your viewpoint. So I try to connect my jokes to their reality, and of course, because I am very creative, I also make jokes about the things I have noticed in their cultural space, and this always gets them.
Attaining fame in a career is no small feat, Forever had this to say about the little fame he has found making people laugh.
“Fame changes you either positively or negatively, but one thing is certain: your freedom is gone. Everyone expects you to have it all put together. They do not believe that you might be going through stuff. Nevertheless, it’s an amazing experience too as it enables me to bring joy and happiness to millions of people around the world. The joy I get when I see the faces of people light up in excitement because they see me is immeasurable. Overall, it is a beautiful feeling”.
On if fame comes easy or comes with more disadvantages, he said, “I would say that it’s a full package. It comes with its own benefits and disadvantages but i believe that if you manage it well, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.”
FOREVER is also an actor and has starred in different movies, including the award-winning Africa Magic series “AJOCHE” where he played the role of the Traveller, Basketmouth’s online sitcom, “PAPA BENJI” that is currently streaming on Prime Video and the GLO NIN television commercial.
FOREVER has produced four of Africa’s best comedy specials, which held in 2018, 2019, 2022 and most recently in 2023. The first two comedy specials enjoyed amazing airplay on DStv showing across Africa, making FOREVER one of the few Nigerian comedians whose comedy specials have been aired on the DStv platform.