- Popular Skit Maker, BRODA SHAGGI
Broda Shaggi’ is a multiple award-winning Nigerian comedian/skit maker. He is a graduate of Creative Arts from the University of Lagos. He is a native of Ishagamu in Ogun State but was born in Ikene in Ogun State. At a young age, he took an interest in acting drama as influenced by his late father who was a drama teacher. He is notable for his satirical plays which he shared on Instagram however came through with his parody drama Jesu in Mushin.
He has won various awards, including The Future Awards Africa Nigeria Prize for Comedy, the City People Music Award for Comedy Act of the Year, AMVC award amongst many others. He is also an actor, songwriter, and musician. Broda Shaggi first gained popularity on social media platforms like Instagram, where he posted short comedy skits. His online fame led to opportunities in Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry, where he has acted in several movies and TV shows. He has also released music, including the hit song “Oya Hit Me,” which features a fusion of Afrobeat and Fuji music.
A few days back, City People Journalist, BENPRINCE EZEH (08068599879) had a chat with him at an event he attended, and he explained his journey to becoming a comedian. Below is the excerpt from the chat.
We heard someone call you another name from the usual one we all know ‘Broda Shaggi’, please can you tell us that name?
Oh, it’s my real name, Samuel A Perry. That was the name my parents gave me and am proud of it. But always remember that name, ‘Broda Shaggi’
Please tell us about your journey to becoming a skit maker.
It’s a long story, but I can make it short. I started comedy based on, I needed to support myself, needed to lift the weight of my mum because she was the only one supporting me when I was in school and comedy was the only way I could pay my bills, aside from the fact the people found me funny, or still find me funny, comedy for me has always been an escape ground for me whenever am not myself. I just want to laugh and make other people laugh as well.
Who convinced you that comedy/shit is the way forward?
Honestly, I just told myself that I need to start something, I prayed to God about it and he answered me. Am a believer in prayer, and I pray a lot. Whenever am in any trouble, I just look up to God for his intervention and His consistency for me has been a big part of my journey. I remembered when I started, I will drop videos every day, and people will be like “Shaggi, easy ooh, this one wey you dey drop video every day, contents go finish ohh”. But I knew myself and I knew what I was ready for, I knew what I was going into, so, me I no fear, I just continued, na today, we still dey here by God’s grace.
The advert you doing for GLO is amazing, how did it come about?
A: Thank you. For me, you know after the recognition, after the whole Broda Shaggi recognition, I started getting calls from brands, getting a call from a brand like Glo is really amazing, it’s really exciting working with them and they’ve taken me like a member of the family. April 30 was Mike Adenuga, Glo MD’s birthday, that was my first time seeing him, I was present at his house to wish him happy birthday and I felt like family already and I’m glad.
You’ve many awards in entertainment, which of them were you proud of the most?
Honestly, for every award I’ve won, they are all encouragement for me to do better things. So I don’t think I have the best, to be honest, I don’t think I have the best. I have won a series of awards, like AMVC 2022 and other awards like that, but if I will even pick any, I will go with the AMVC.
Many youths are going into skit making, and some are succeeding, but many say it cost a lot of money and is difficult to get viewers, what are your words of encouragement?
I will just say, keep being yourself, because, at that time, you feel you want to be someone else, you want to become who someone is and by then you leave yourself, then you find yourself starting all over from the beginning, because if people say they see you, or that they feel you’re raz and you let that affect you; because I heard a thing like that when I was starting, “he’s too raz, he makes a lot of noise, he’s this he’s that” I never stopped, I just believed in this character, I just believed in myself, I continued and today, all those people that said I was too raz, now chase me everywhere for a picture or wants to talk to me or even want to do things with me. So it’s you believing in yourself before anybody believes in you. Secondly, never play with God, remember God every time, you don’t necessarily need to be going to the church 24/7 or to the mosque or whatever, just have God in your heart and always know right from wrong.
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