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Ace comedian, and actor, Bovi Ugboma – simply known as Bovi – is in a class of his, such that while speaking with him, you may not easily tell between his real self and his comic part which oftentimes rubs off on his persona. Not your run-of-the-mill entertainer, Bovi who started as an actor, tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu during a recent premiere of “The Perfect Arrangement”, a movie where he plays one of the lead characters that Bovi the actor is simply playing a role and as Bovi the comedian, he is telling his story in a comical way
You played Chidi in “The Perfect Arrangement”. Who is Chidi?
Chidi is a character (laughter). You know Chidi is like a businessman who has a political ambition, in love with girl. You know the typical rom-com type of story; boy meets girl, boy loves girl, then there is hiccup along the way you know. I think it’s already out there so I can say. But, basically it’s an ugly love triangle of two brothers in love with one girl and one girl in love with two brothers.
How did you pull off this particular character?
It was easy; I have always been an actor, right? So, maybe you knew me when I was doing comedy. But that’s not my history. I started off acting.
Have you ever been found in a love triangle?
If I was maybe I don’t know (laughs).
Maybe in school….
No, no, not at all. I mean I have three brothers, then my sister is the last, right? I don’t remember liking any of my brothers’ girlfriends or any of my girlfriends liking my brothers. I had girlfriends who admired my brothers. If anything went on behind me, maybe we would know when I die (laughs).
Bovi the actor, Bovi the comedian are there any similarity, any difference?
Well, the actor is playing a role; the actor is assuming another personality. The comedian is telling his story in a comical way. So, yes, there’s a huge difference in the sense that when I’m acting I am not being me 100%. So, yes there’s a difference.
Can Bovi be taking seriously for once?
Do you take me seriously?
I’m trying to because it looks like we are already talking to the comedian Bovi
So there goes your answer
Looking at the recent trend of skit makers in the country, they are beginning to have this acceptance generally. Do you think this would affect the standup comedy business?
Why should it affect it? It’s two different practices. We should learn to be more collaborative instead of competitive. Anytime I get that question I really get worried. Because what they do is online; there’s a market for it. What we do is offline; there’s a market for it. There are guys who do skit that can do stage. There are guys who do stage that can do skit, e.g. me. So, how is it a threat? You have Banga Soup, you have Egwusi Soup, is anyone a threat to the other? ‘Eat dis one if e tire you, you eat dis one. If dis one tire you, you eat the other one’. Do you get what I’m saying? That’s a whole brand new genre. So, we should encourage these guys and the girls. The fact that they can squeeze money out of it, the fact that it’s a booming business is a plus to the entertainment industry.
So what distinguishes Bovi and the others in the entertainment industry?
I don’t know; I just do me. And I try to make sure I challenge me, reinvent me, evolve me so people don’t get bored, you know? Because if you don’t reinvent yourself people will ‘okay this is what to expect’.
What’s the business in comedy?
Well, there’s business in anything that is sellable. As far as comedy is sellable, then there’s money to be made. So, kudos to all the comedians and entertainer generally that have made a fortune or are making a fortune or making a living; a decent living from being funny, from dishing out comedy. It’s lucrative. Anything in Nigeria that people pay money for is a billion naira business. That’s it for comedy.
A lot of Nigerian youth look up to you and they see you as role model, what’s your advice for them towards the forthcoming elections?
They should vote for their candidates of choice by what their manifesto presents. Rather than the gift they may tend to want to get. They should vote for whom they think can do the job irrespective of tribe, irrespective of region, religion, creed…
So you are not a supporter of the southeast agitation?
So you see for me, I think it is better to say ‘who are the candidates? Okay let’s hear you out’; let’s hear your manifesto. What’s your take? How are you going to take the country forward?’ That’s most important than any other thing if you ask me.
So you don’t have a candidate?
No, I want to hear their manifesto. Many of them are my friends. So I want to hear them speak first.
What is Bovi working on at the moment?
My show; I will be doing a special soon, sooner than later and a movie later in the year.
What’s the show name?
Bovi Naghty by Nature… I already did it in Canada and Warri. So, the Lagos edition is coming soon.
