Bright Okpocha: From Comic King to Kingmaker

Having conquered the comedy world, Bright Okpocha, also known as Basketmouth,  now seeks to create opportunities for others in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

He  shares with Vanessa Obioha how he is living a life of purpose

“You guys are in for a shocker!”

That  was the thought running through Bright Okpocha’s mind as he sat at the back of a cinema hall at the Film House, Oniru, Lagos, during the private screening of his debut feature film, ‘A Ghetto Love Story.’ Known  by the stage name Basketmouth, Okpocha is a comedian-turned-filmmaker who wears many creative hats. This screening was a first for the cast and crew, including Victoria Eze, who wrote the script, and actors Akah Nnani, Chioma Akpotha, and Dorathy Bachor.

As the audience laughed and gasped at the scenes unfolding on screen, Okpocha sat confidently, knowing he had put his all into the film. His commitment to perfection had been unrelenting.

“I’m a perfectionist. I’m a Virgo,” he said after the screening. “I read that Virgos are perfectionists but by default, I’m one. If it’s not a hundred, I’m not doing it. When I was making this movie, I told myself that if I don’t get it right, nobody is going to see the film.”

Despite being pleased with the audience’s response, Okpocha’s meticulous eye was still on the lookout for imperfections. He had already edited the movie over 30 times and revised the soundtrack more than 15. To most, the film was ready for its premiere at the 2024 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), but Okpocha felt there were still tweaks to be made.

“Because I know what I want, I know what I will get so I don’t panic. I was curious to see if the guests could spot all the things we did, and I was quite impressed by Vicky’s writing. She did great.”

Released in cinemas on November 22, 2024, ‘A Ghetto Love Story’ has garnered positive reviews. Okpocha and Eze have been dedicated to promoting the movie, even sparking dating rumours with their suggestive promotional posts last September. The film, directed by Daniel Oriahi, tells the story of two young lovers from humble backgrounds with the promise of an ever-after. But what is romance without finance as the film explores the blurring line between the two? It features a star-studded cast, including Patience Ozokwor, Wale Ojo, Nobert Young, Beverly Osu, and Okpocha himself.

The film soundtrack featuring some of Nigeria’s greatest acts, including Waje, Falz, Pheelz, Peruzzi, and others, was recently released and marked the fourth album of the comedian.

‘A Ghetto Love Story,’ Okpocha revealed, was inspired by real-life events he witnessed growing up in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

“I grew up in Uzor Street, Ajegunle, and we were at home one day when someone rushed in and told us that something like this had happened in another compound. We rushed there and saw what happened.”

In his quest for authenticity, Okpocha chose to film several scenes in the very ghetto he grew up in, including Uzor Street. He believes this sense of reality is missing in many Nigerian movies today.

“When it comes to our movies, the mistake our people make is that they don’t make the world believable. It doesn’t look real. If I cannot believe the world you’ve set your movie in, I’m not watching the movie. So, when I see these recent Nigerian epic movies, it looks like a stage play. It’s not real. I don’t believe it.”

For Okpocha, the ultimate takeaway from the film is that love alone is never truly enough.

“Is love truly enough?” he mused.  “Because sometimes, when it comes to relationships, love will not save you. Sometimes it’s loyalty, sometimes it’s respect, because love fit die anytime, love fit go. Loyalty can be tested and all that. That’s why I say nothing is ever enough.”

“One thing that we must understand,” he continued, “because you expect someone to behave this way, and they behave a certain way. But come to think of it, they are humans. They are expected to behave in certain ways. Some people don’t even know themselves 100%. You hear people say I can’t believe I did that. Then if you can’t believe you did it, why would I want to believe that you did it.”

Whether or not this perspective is a trauma response to his 2022 marital discord, Okpocha didn’t reveal. But one thing is clear: he is living a life of purpose.

“I’ve reached that point where I am more aware of myself, more intentional, unlike before. I used to just go with the flow, but now I see things clearer, and it has helped me with my decisions, even with going to the movie scene. I’m more logical with my approach. There were times when something would happen, and I would panic. I don’t panic anymore. I’ve evolved to a point where sometimes I look at myself, and I go ‘bro, e be like say you don be superhero now o; like nothing dey shake you again.’”

This journey of self-discovery, he explained, began in 2023 but grew stronger in 2024. His growth has encompassed every aspect of his life, including his spirituality.

“Sometimes what we don’t know that keeps us grounded or keeps us static is not knowing our purpose. A lot of people don’t know their purpose, and that’s another reason a lot of marriages fail: when the couple they don’t have a purpose.”

Okpocha believes he now understands his purpose, and it extends far beyond making people laugh.

“I think I know my purpose in life better now. I was put here to give opportunities for people to shine. I was happy when Akah told me that in all his career, this is the first time he’s putting one hundred of himself in a movie, and he’s getting 100 back. I was happy to hear that because it means that you can trust me with your talent and I will deliver. I think that one of my purposes is to help showcase artists the way they want to be showcased. So I think I’m a kingmaker. Yeah, I can call myself a kingmaker.”

Indeed, since he began easing out of comedy eight years ago, Okpocha has become more focused on discovering new talents as he transitioned into TV and filmmaking. Eze is one of the few he has encouraged to nurture her storytelling talents.

“I’ve known her for a minute. She was giving me gist one day via chat, and the way she broke down the story, I was like, ‘This girl, you can write o.’ She then told me that she used to write books and essays back in the day.  And I’ve noticed that she’s a very good storyteller; when she wants to tell you about a movie that she watched, she breaks everything down. You’ll think you’re watching the movie.

“I started testing her, getting her to narrate certain things and one day, I just asked her, ‘Would you like to write my movie?’ And she’s like she doesn’t know if she could so I encouraged her to try. She was sceptical because she didn’t know how to write a movie script, so I told her to learn it because I believe she can write.”

While many know Okpocha primarily as a comedian, he revealed that his first love has always been movies.

“I love movies the most.”

Comedy, as it turns out, was the least of his passions, but it was the one that gained him prominence in the 2000s. After his music career didn’t take off as expected, comedy opened doors, leading to accolades like the National Comedy Award and the title of Best Stand-up Comedian of the Year in 2005 and 2006. But his creative pursuits didn’t stop there. Over the years, Okpocha added TV hosting, acting, music production, show promotions, and now film production to his portfolio.

He recounted his journey this way:

“I’ve done comedy for 26 years now, but in actual fact, I started easing out of comedy 18 years into it. That’s when I started doing ‘My Flatmates.’ That was eight years ago, but people didn’t know. I was slowing it down so I could focus on TV. While I was doing ‘My Flatmates,’ I was using it to perfect myself when it came to production. Then I told myself that I’m not ready for movies yet. So we branched into TV.

Next came music, and with it, the albums Yabasi and Horoscopes. Now, he’s saving his best for last—movies. “I’m going to be in this space for another 10 years.”

Though juggling multiple creative projects can sometimes feel overwhelming, Okpocha embraces it, seeing the “stretch” as a way to grow stronger. But at the end of the day, he still wants to be remembered as a stand-up comedian.

“It’s the one that I’ve worn the hat the longest for.” He switched to pidgin to illustrate his relationship with comedy. “You know, when you don stay with somebody for so long wey you no too love like that, you come go over love am.”

“So I love comedy. I still enjoy making people laugh. It gives me joy inside and makes me happy. That’s the one I want to be remembered for the most. That’s the one that gave birth to the brand’s name Basketmouth.  Movies and music are added value,” he said.

Okpocha is kicking off 2025 with his Europe comedy tour ‘Yes I Said It.’ Scheduled for February, the tour is further proof that no matter where his creative journey takes him, comedy will always be his foundation.