MC Kelvin Great: Obstacles Shaped My Character, Turn My Life Around for Good

Eboyem Kelvin Great, fondly known as Kelvin Great, is one of the most sought-after comedians and award-winning Masters of Ceremony across Nigeria and beyond. With his signature blend of humor, charisma, and originality, he has carved a niche as a top-tier entertainer whose presence transforms every stage into an unforgettable experience. In this interview he explained how he overcame life struggles from early age to becoming a brand in the Nigeria entertainment industry.

What first made you realize you wanted to become a comedian?

Because I love to see people happy and am the reason for their laughter and joy , I used to be the most funny guy in school in my days. I act and do comedy acting as well. We used to be dual comedians those days.

Who were the comedians that influenced you?

To be truthful I really do not remember the names of the comedians I used to watch I go die and Alibaba.

What was your very first performance like?

It was amazing but I was full of fear. I was asked to perform before the whole student in Lagos that year.

What’s the toughest crowd you’ve ever performed for?

That was my show in 2024 in the eko hotel. I was overwhelmed by the crowds. I just have to do a little and move and start as the host Mc most of the time am more comfortable and more relaxed as the host then i function more well as a comedian when am the one hosting.

How has comedy changed over the years?

Comedy has really changed the way it connects with the audience, however comedy has divided into many parts, but stand up comedy is really doing well with the great comedians we have in town.

Although it has been somehow but it will keep getting better, some people really come out to have a great time but these days people enjoy themselves from the comfort of their home and you have to force people to come out for show now except God is on your side, but we have to keep thanking God.

Do you think comedians today face more pressure about what they can or cannot joke about?

There is a lot more pressure now than before. Years ago you could joke about things and go free but now it is not the same anymore. We are more careful about what we say now because anything can be used against us.

How important is social media for comedians today?

Talking about social media it has played a very great deal in the today comedy industry. Unlike before you need a marketer for your label to reach the right audiences or people. Today from the comfort of your home you can crack a joke and it goes viral in less than 2 hours. That is a lot of miracles in action, social media today brings you so close to your favorite Artist or celebrity it has really done good stuff in this generation.

What do you do when you are not making people laugh?

Most of the time, I cook because cooking is my hobby aside from making people laugh . However I always read as well at resting time and spend quality time with my family.

If comedy didn’t exist, what career would you have chosen?

I would have been a cook and actor , because I started with acting back in the days of laugh matters. I was once the generation next that year in the early days of laugh matters, so either am a cook or an actor.

How was working under the guidance of Destalker shaped your life?

Working with my boss destalker has guided me in so many ways that I can’t even express. My big brother destalker has played major roles in my life, I fear stage even though I love to be on stage but destalker guidance gives me more confidence seeing how he kicks fear away and does his things trying anything that can work on stage instantly.
He motivated me to work on myself most especially in stand up comedy , his role can never be over emphasized in my life. Just to mention a few great things he has done for me aside from motivation. He has given me two cars in years past , which show strong relationships and that loyalty pays because I am a person of loyalty. I love to be loyal to the core and have been loyal to him over the years and will always be, we are over a
decade of unshakable friendships.

What advice would you give to young people who want to choose comedy as a career?

For the young people who want to do comedy as a career I will advise them to find a person that they can model after in order for them to be shaped in a way that looks like the career that they have chosen.

This will help in so many ways as they grow, furthermore they should be original because originality is key, so people know them for something. Lastly let them stay consistent, that is the way up and forward, because that’s what has kept a lot of us , not forgetting that they most love what they do. By the grace of God in December this year I would be hosting a master class to help the young people become professional masters of ceremonies and also comedian live practical guidance.

How was your growing up?

I was born in 1990 in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. My father’s name was Late Festus Eboyem , and my mother was Alice Omilo, who later became known as Alice Eboyem after marriage. My father married two wives, and from my mother alone we were seven children altogether, we were about eleven children in the family. Sadly, I lost my mother at a very early age, around 1993. Her death brought a lot of pain and confusion to the family.

As a young boy, I was very sick and weak. Because of this, many people were afraid to take responsibility for me. They feared that something might happen to me under their care. It was a very uncertain time in my life. My aunt, Mrs. Romina Ogomegulem, who was living in Lagos at the time made a courageous decision that would change my life forever.

She took me from the village and brought me to Lagos around 1993. My aunt worked extremely hard just to feed the family. She cooked food and sold it in the market on one of the streets in Orile Agege. Every morning, we woke up as early as 4 a.m. to prepare food and go to the market.

As a small boy, I followed her everywhere. I watched her cook, serve customers, and struggle to make ends meet. It was during those days that I developed my love for cooking. Watching my aunt work every day taught me that survival requires discipline, sacrifice, and determination. That was where my cooking skills began because there was no money for private education. I attended a public school called Orile Agege Government School.

School life was not easy for me. I was often sick, and academically I struggled a lot. In fact, during my early school years, I was considered one of the dullest students in class. Sometimes I look back and laugh because if anyone had predicted my future then, many people would not have believed it.

But my life is a testimony of grace despite my struggles in school, God had a plan for me. One day, while I was in Primary Six, something happened that would change the course of my life forever.

During a children’s church program, we were asked to pray for the pastor’s wife, Mummy Onyechi Abiola (now Pastor Mrs. Onyechi Abiola). About 30 to 50 children were praying for her one after the other. When it was my turn to pray, something unusual happened. In the middle of my prayer, she suddenly stopped and asked, Who is the child that just prayed for me?

Everyone pointed at me, she looked at me with curiosity and asked, Where are your parents? Where is your mother? Growing up, I always believed my aunt was my mother. I did not even know my biological mother had passed away. So I confidently told her that my mother was in church. She then asked me to go and call her. I went and brought my aunt. The pastor’s wife asked again, are you the mother of this child?

At first my aunt said yes, but after some discussion she told her the truth — that I was actually her brother’s son and that my mother had died many years earlier. Then the pastor’s wife said something that shocked everyone. She said, God cannot lie.

She explained that when she was pregnant with her son David, she made a promise to God. She told God that if He delivered her safely during childbirth, she would sponsor the education of an orphan. That day, she said, God revealed to her that I was the child she had promised to help.

That moment changed my life. At that time I was in Primary Six in a public school and preparing to go to Junior Secondary School. She decided to move me from the public school into a private school.

But when the private school tested me, the results were terrible. I could barely spell my own name properly. I struggled with almost every question they asked me. Academically, there was nothing impressive about me however, they still accepted me.

Because of my weak academic level, they placed me in a lower class so I could catch up with other students. This made me the oldest student in my class for many years.
Through the kindness of Pastor Mrs. Onyechi Abiola, my school fees were paid and I continued my education in a private school.

When I finished primary school, I wanted to go and thank them personally for everything they had done for me. I told my aunt I wanted to visit and appreciate them.

When I got there, they said they liked me very much — the way I behaved, the way I helped take care of their son, and my attitude. Then something unexpected happened again and they asked if I would like to stay with them. That was how I was adopted into their home. Not only did they give me a home, they also gave me another scholarship to attend secondary school.

I then began living with Prophet Dr. David Abiola and his family. I stayed with them for many years — almost nine years of my life.

During that time, I learned discipline, responsibility, and the importance of faith in God. Those years shaped my character and contributed greatly to the person I am today.

Looking back, I realize something powerful about my life every time one person could no longer help me, God raised another person. When my aunt could no longer carry the burden alone, God raised Pastor Mrs. Onyechi Abiola. My life became a chain of miracles. At some point, something happened that changed everything again. Due to certain circumstances, I had to leave the pastor’s house.

This happened around the time I had just finished my WAEC exams and was preparing to do my first show in 2008. Suddenly, the place I had called home for many years was no longer available to me. In what felt like a moment, I went from having a home to almost becoming homeless.

I was devastated. I felt broken and confused. It seemed like all hope was lost. But deep inside me, I still had dreams. And those dreams refused to die.
There was a period in my life when hunger became one of my greatest battles. Those were days when I had almost nothing. Sometimes there was no food for long hours, and at times for days. Hunger can push a person to the edge of desperation, and I experienced that reality firsthand.

One particular day remains unforgettable in my life. There was fish in the house that had been mixed with rat poison. In those days, people would mix rat poison with food in order to kill rats in the house. That fish was not meant for anyone to eat. It was meant to eliminate the rats disturbing the house.

But that day, I was extremely hungry, there was no food anywhere, and my stomach was empty. The hunger was so intense that I began to look at that poisoned fish with temptation. In that moment, the only thing my body was thinking about was survival. Not long after eating it, my body reacted violently. I began to vomit uncontrollably. It felt like my life was leaving my body. I vomited again and again until everything inside me came out.

Looking back today, I know that moment could have ended my life but God preserved me. Even when I did not fully understand it at the time, God’s hand was upon my life. That day was another reminder that my life was not ordinary. There was a purpose attached to my existence.

Despite losing my parents early in life, despite poverty, hunger, rejection, and hardship, God continued to keep me alive. At every stage of my life, God gave me what I call the gift of men — people who appeared at different moments to help me move forward. From my aunt who first carried me to Lagos,
to the pastor’s wife who sponsored my education,
to the people who gave me shelter,
to the friends who opened doors for my career each of them was sent by God.

Today, when I look back at my journey, I can only say one thing: my life is living proof that it does not matter where you start in life. What matters is the grace of God and the purpose He has placed inside you. And this is why I believe deeply that there is greatness within every human being.