Daily Independent (Lagos)
Emeka Umejei
6 May 2009
Lagos — The music vibration appeared headed for the climax, with the Disc Jockey (DJ) dishing out rave making jams one after another, and the already excited gathering moving their body to the rhythm of the beats. Here, there was no class as people mixed freely, exchanging banters and reeling out smile to one another in the spirit of the occasion. That was the situation last Sunday, May 3, 2009. Of course, the participants were united by Globacom as subscribers, hence they had the opportunity to enjoy the best of entertainment and comedy on offer, courtesy of the communications giants. It was the third edition of Glo Lafta Fest, described by many as the first of its kind in the country. The venue was the high profile, Planet One, Event Centre, and the turn out was quite impressive. Even the fact that the next day, Monday was working day did not deter many Globacom subscribers who thronged the place to savour the best of entertainment.
Dj Jimmy Jatt, as many Nigerians have come to know him, was in his elements at the Glo Lafta Fest, setting the tone for what turned out a pot pouri of entertainment, flavoured with comedy.
To gain entry, a Globacom subscriber must have recharged to the tune of N2,500 the previous month and emerged one of the lucky drawn numbers.
The first act of the night was Elenu, who did not fail to impress the gathering with his humorous jokes. Elenu left the gathering in an excited mood. Indeed, the anticipation was not out of place as the coming of Buchi sustained the hype created by Elenu and took it to another level, with the gathering wowing to no end.
Buchi left the stage for Basketmouth, the anchor of the show, who in his humorous manner took the excitement further, reeling out jokes, while giving out various forms of Glo branded items to members of the audience. Some of the items included fez caps, T-shirts and others.
Basketmouth left the stage for Dj Zeez, of the O4kasibe fame, clad in caftan with cap to complement. Zeez set the gathering into frenzy with his stagecraft and flawless rendition of his wave-making track, and got the gathering flowing with the rhythm. Some members of the audience who could not contain the excitement took to the dance floor, swaying and dancing to Zeez's performance. Zeez succeeded in taking the excitement to another level entirely and the screams of excitement that emanated from the gathering confirmed their satisfaction.
Basketmouth came back and began churning out jokes that nearly cracked the ribs of many in the gathering. He made a comical jibe at the epileptic supply of power in Nigeria, stating that in the early days, people celebrated when they bought hi-tech phones but now, it is their power generating sets.
"In the olden days for Naija, if you buy phone, you go dey use dey boast and show class but now, na generator na him people dey take boast and show class. You go dey hear people boast: if you see my generator e fit carry two air conditioners, referigertaor and even another generator," Basketmouth said jocularly. Basketmouth left the stage for I Go Save, who came with a lot of energy and took the excitement in the air to another level with his humorous jokes. The comedian, who was said to have just returned from a European tour, did not disappoint the audience as he succeeded in etching his name in their minds as a comedian of repute. I Go Save did a comical jibe on the misuse of mobile phones in Nigeria.
"E get one bus when dey go from Lagos to Benin and inside the bus one Hausa man and other Naija people dey inside. The bus just comot for Lagos, e never reach Ore na the first call come in to one girl inside the bus. She answers the man, darling, I am in Kaduna. Another call enter for one man inside the bus and e answer come tell the person wen dey call say, I go give your money when I come back, I dey Port Harcourt. The next call wen enter the bus, na for the driver of the bus, and e come tell the person wen dey call sey, I go return your tyre when I come back, I dey go Anambra State. When the driver talk this last lie, na him the Hausa man come get up scream for the driver, where you dey go? We dey go Anambra or PortHarcout?" I Go Save said.
Basketmouth came back briefly before the arrival of Gandoki, often described as Nigeria's most creative comedian. Gandoki came on board and redefined the evening with rib cracking jokes that left many laughing endlessly. If I Go Save sustained the tempo, Gandoki took it to another level with his reality infused jokes.
Gandoki gave a comical flavour of the best way to treat debtors who are not willing to pay up.
"If any body dey owe you, no need to carry am go police station, just go Yaba Psychiatric Hospital, pay the doctors and carry your debtor go there. You go just tell am sey una dey go see one of your brothers wen them admit for there. As una just enter the hospital you go begin dey shout; doctor, I don bring am come! Before, the person go know wetin dey happen, them don inject am and from there e go sleep. Wen e wake up, e go begin they shout, na me you bring come here, I no dey craze. As e dey shout, other patients go come meet, tell am say e better make e no shout because the more e dey make noise, the more e go stay for the hospital," Gandoki said confidently.
Basketmouth came back, as usual brimming with comical energy, which he poured on the gathering. He made a comical jibe at Nigerian rich men who like to throw their weight around, even in places they should maintain public decorum.
"One Nigerian big man go abroad, on his way back e come go late for boarding. As the man approach the boarding point, oyibo woman wen dey attend to the man, come tell am say, "am afraid you have missed the flight" but the man no want hear that kind story. The woman tell the man the same thing again, the man come begin dey shout, "Do you know who I am?" Na him the oyibo woman call security, "please, come over here, there is one man that does not know whom he is," Basketmouth said.
Basketmouth left the stage for Sound Sultan, who came in company of three male and two female dancers, and dazzled the gathering with their scintillating dance steps and stagecraft.
Sound Sultan proved himself a hugely talented artiste whose artistic ability is legion. In the midst of the euphoria, Sultan introduced his elder brother, Baba Dee, who joined him on stage to titillate the gathering with their stage razzmatazz
Basketmouth came back on stage, clutching a goodie bag of various items, ranging from T-shirts, Fez caps and recharge cards, which he gave out freely to members of the audience.
Basketmouth left the stage for Okey Bakassi, Executive Assistant to Imo State Governor on Entertainment, who left no one in doubt about his class in the comedy industry as he delivered rib-cracking jokes effortlessly.
The best seemed saved for the last as Gongo Aso crooner, 9ice spiced the evening with excitement and the gathering went agog, responding to his stage performance with various dance steps and body movements.
The third edition of Glo Lafta Fest was witnessed by high profile personalities from entertainment and the media, including Seye Kehinde, publisher of City People and Bola Onanuga, general manager of Mirror newspapers.
A cross section of some Glo subscribers who spoke to Daily Independent gave kudos to Globacom for the first-class entertainment.
Isioma Eziashi-Kelvin, a bank worker lauded Glo for the initiative, stating that it was the height of customer-operator relationship.
"I applaud Globacom for this laudable initiative, by bringing this level of first-class show to their subscribers. I see it as the climax of a relationship between a customer and her operators. I feel fulfilled being a Globacom subscriber," Isioma said.
Another subscriber, Ikem Ekene was more forthcoming in his assessment of Lafta Fest: " I am marveled at the quality of entertainment on offer. It shows that Globacom cares for her subscribers and I think it Globacom has set the pace with Lafta Fest," Ekene said.
For Basketmouth: "I must confess, there is no other company, be it a bank or telecom that has done what Globacom has done for the entertainment industry in Nigeria, even the breweries. Globacom has endorsed actors, actresses, musicians, and comedians. They have given us hope that something is happening. In America, the likes of Chris Rock are endorsed by wrist watch companies but in Nigeria it takes the grace of God for you to be endorsed but Globacom has changed all that."
On the effect of Lafta Fest to comedians, Basketmouth said: "It has given us jobs, let's put it that way because the industry right now is on a low point, where recession is actually setting in. So, Glo Lafta Fest came at the right time, when every selected comedian is looking towards the end of the month. It is not just because of the money but also about practising, working on new materials and delivering it. It has also created a platform for us to share our materials because if we are not working, you may go rustic."
Gandoki describes Globacom, as first among equals, "Globacom is the only Network in Nigeria that is really helping the comedy industry and entertainment as a whole. It makes artistes feel good and know what we are doing. They give back to the society, which is good for Nigeria."
I Go Save applauded Globacom for its pro-Nigeria initiative. He said: "I will say very big thank you to Globacom, they should keep it up. They are the only corporate organisation in Nigeria making artistes' ambassadors, and I applaud their truly Nigerian initiatives."
For King Wadada, the telecom firm has changed the face of entertainment in Nigeria, "Globacom has brought a very big change in the entertainment industry in Nigeria, and I wish other corporate organisations could take a cue from Globacom."
Sound Sultan described Glo Lafta Fest as a blast: "It is definitely a blast. This is very nice and it is the first of its kind by any telecommunication company in Nigeria," Sultan said.
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