- Safiu Kehinde
Popular Nigerian comedian, Ali Baba, has recounted how a costly joke had nearly made him incur the wrath of late Nigerian Military Head of States, Sani Abacha.
Ali Baba made this disclosure in a recent interview on Leadership Podcast programme.
Narrating his ordeal in the hand of Abacha, which he described as his ‘first close encounter with death’, the comedian recalled how he had made joke out of the dictator’s infamous sunglasses during an event in Abuja.
“The first close encounter I had with death was with Abacha. When Abacha was President, I went to do this event at Abuja, it was time for Akwa-Ibom cultural troop to perform and Abacha was wearing those sunshades and this was about like to 10 (pm)
“When we are about bringing the troop on, Nnkena Ndaguba said ‘Ali Baba introduce us’
“I said ‘all the way from the Niger Delta is the Akwa-Ibom cultural troop. They are very happy that their state was created so this beautiful presentation of colourful performance is in honour of his Excellency’.
“They started dancing and I said stop! ‘Your Excellency Sir, it’s to 10. Why are you wearing this dark shades for? You don’t want to see this performance? Sir remove this shades na’.
“So he was talking to somebody, I was laughing. He removed the shades and folded it. I said okay you are ready, now ladies and gentlemen let’s start it again.
“As soon as I made that announcement, I saw this DSS boys. They were going backstage to go and wait for their father.
“When I saw the situation, I climbed down the stage, went to where Abacha was and sat down on the ground.
“He said ‘Ubanka! You are afraid ko? After you don talk, you don’t want to go back there?’
“I said ‘Sir they will come and arrest me here’. I now said Sir these glasses are very nice. I took the glasses and wore them.
“He said kai you can’t wear them now, the show is on. I said ‘they are performing for you not for me.’
“Later, when he was giving his speech, he said he has never laughed like that before that this is the first time he is not wearing his glasses and he stood on the podium to deliver his speech.
“When he finished the speech, he came down and said they should bring his purse.
“The man that brought the purse said ‘you are lucky ba. Your family would not have seen you again.’ The man that was talking was Hamza and we became friends after the incident” Ali Baba narrated.