Nedu: Nigeria’s Comedy Industry is Big Enough for Everyone to Compete, Thrive

Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, a comedian popularly known in the entertainment scene as Nedu, is of a unique kind whose infectious humor and quick wit have endeared him to audiences across Nigeria and beyond. With a knack for delivering side-splitting performances and relatable anecdotes, Nedu has become a house hold name in the comedy scene. His comedic journey is as vibrant and dynamic as his personality.  From humble beginnings to becoming one of the most sought-after entertainers in the country. Nedu’s rise to fame is a testament to his talent and dedication. He speaks with Tosin Clegg about his life and career, exploring the inspiration behind his comedy, his journey to success, and his plans for his scholarship initiative

Your podcast, The Honest Bunch is always in the news due to delicate topics. Do you go out of your way to trigger people?

 Trigger who? No oh. See let me explain. When we started the podcast, when it was Frankly Speaking, the idea was to create a safe space for different people to share their opinions and have honest conversations. That’s all. Yes, we knew for a fact that there would be time we would handle delicate and even sensational subjects. I mean, in the world we live in, you cannot avoid this. But you cannot live life avoiding drama forever. Even if you try, drama will find you.

You tend to end up talking a good deal about women on your podcast and in your skits on social media. Do you consider yourself a feminist?

I have loads of respect for women. Na woman born me, so no get choice. Yes, women feature prominently in the work I do, and it’s not just the comedy. Over the years I have come to better appreciate the essential part women play in everything. And I know for a fact that women are very capable. That being said, maybe I’m a bit of a feminist like I support women and I am all for seeing women thrive. Forget people saying it is a man’s world. Common sense will tell you that we cannot run this show alone. Women are just as important to making the picture whole.

You recently launched a scholarship project. Can you provide more details about its purpose and objectives?

So, the Nedu Foundation in partnership with the Metropolitan School of Business and Management UK is starting a scholarship drive. The plan is to award 1,000 Nigerians with full scholarships at the tertiary level. We believe that a solid education at the tertiary level has the capacity to dramatically change the lives of people, especially in these times when a lot of people may aspire to get the education but cannot afford it. This program will be making a lot of dreams come true.

What motivated you to partner with the Metropolitan School of Business and Management UK for this scholarship program?

 Well, the Metropolitan School of Business and Management UK has a long history of academic excellence and their track record speaks for itself. I had long conversations with the team from the school and they were particularly enthusiastic about the collaboration. While they bring to bear their sterling reputation in the area of academia, I am hoping to leverage my public persona to generate support for the program.

 How do you and your partners plan to fund the program?

So we are exploring a variety of avenues to ensure the success of the scholarship drive. Already, we held a press conference in Lagos, announcing the project. A super-charged digital campaign is already in full swing, the idea being to spread the word about this project. In a couple of weeks, we will also be hosting a gala event that will be attended by donor organisations, public figures and a tone of well-meaning individuals. A major highlight of this event will be a fundraiser for the scholarship drive and we are very optimistic that this will go a long way to covering the associated costs of the drive.

 Can you elaborate on the selection criteria for the scholarship beneficiaries and how you intend to ensure diversity and inclusivity?

Interested applicants can visit the scholarship webpage where they will get to see all the information about the application process and such. It is a pretty simple application process and in case applicants have issues, they can reach out to the support team on the website or social media and they will get the help they need. And yes, this scholarship drive will consider diversity in its selection process. We know it is important to accommodate a wide swath of representatives of the country. So the selection process will be very fair.

 You have been on radio for a long time, how much do you think radio has changed since you started?

 Radio? it’s always changing. I mean, some things remain the same or have remained the same over the years. Like the human part of radio. As much as that might change, it is still a big part of the picture. People come and go from OAPs to production personnel to management and newscasters and everything in between, but there are always people in the mix. You see, a major reason radio exists is for sharing of information. Radio is still one of the most popular mediums for reaching people, even now with the internet being so accessible. I know a lot of the content on radio changes with times such as music and news, but you can’t help that kind of change. I guess radio organisation just find a way to keep moving by holding on to some identity, even if it gets to change a bit with time. And personally, I think change is good. Radio in recent years has opened up Nigeria, particularly artists, to a large audience. And that can only be good. The more people can hear you, the more attention you get I guess.

As an influencer and comedian, how do you navigate the competitive landscape?

Truth is, I, like many of my colleagues in the industry, probably have to work twice as hard these days as the market is getting saturated. You can sleep and wake up and see 200 new faces in comedy or on TV acting or influencing. Even you will be wondering what is going on. But I think a healthy dose of competition is good. It keeps you on your toes and motivates you to get better. 

And I am particular about healthy competition, not competition that turns to beef and roof-rofo. I believe the industry is big enough to let everyone thrive. Just pick your lane and your battles too. Simple.